Absenteeism has become a major problem in schools these days. Recent studies have shown that 42% of high school students miss a month of school or more each year. Administrators keep track of the number of students and their hours attended each school day but are not keeping data on each individual students absences. Students are not looked at on an individual bases until they have missed between 15-20 days or more in a given year. The problem is that administrators have to wait for a student to miss a large number of days before they are considered an at risk student. By this time it could be to late for these kids.
I believe as teachers it is our job to make sure that students are at school daily and given the opportunity to succeed. We can achieve this by keeping students accountable on an individual bases along with making school a safe place where students can learn and enjoy themselves. A prime example of teachers and administrators working for a common goal of having perfect attendance is Franklin Square Elementary. They keep track of their students on an individual bases. They make three rounds through the school at different times in the day to check attendance. When a student is absent they are on the phones calling anyone who is available to answer the question, why their student is absent. They are even willing to make house calls to help the parents get their kids to school. With this dedication students understand the importance of being at school and also understand that the school staff truly cares about them and what they can accomplish with an education. Recent studies have shown that students who attend school regularly have scored 15-20 points higher on state assessments than students who miss.
Absenteeism is a problem that all schools are facing today but can be easily alleviated with the support of the staff and teachers together. Having a school community where students feel like they belong and can have fun in a safe learning environment will help with the issue of absenteeism.
Brandon,
ReplyDeleteAre there different kinds of absenteeism, some that have a detrimental impact on learning, and some a benign one? Look at the question in reverse: does it matter that students attend school, or the kind of attention they pay while in school?
Thanks.