ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Student attendance and academic achievement are closely connected, with regular attendance being a critical factor in students' success. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the issue of absenteeism, especially chronic absenteeism, making it a significant concern for both the federal and New York State Departments of Education. At Maine-Endwell, we are continuously exploring strategies to address this challenge and improve student outcomes.
The New York State Education Department defines "chronic absenteeism" as a student missing 10% or more of school days, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. This approach focuses on identifying students who miss too many days of school, as the primary concern is the loss of instructional time.
Chronic absence is harmful to students of all ages. For younger students, it affects the development of crucial skills, such as reading proficiency by the third grade, which can influence their future academic success or failure. For older students, chronic absence is linked to poor academic performance and an increased likelihood of leaving school before graduation. SOURCE: https://www.nysed.gov/innovation-school-reform/chronic-absenteeism
Across New York State the problem grew during the pandemic and remains elevated:
What can we do?
Research supports the following strategies to address chronic absenteeism:
Developing and implementing a communication plan that reinforces the importance of routine, in-person attendance at school every day, and increases the frequency and quality of interactions between school and families.
Strengthening relationships with families, including visiting homes.
Using a multi-tiered system of support and intervention, including an early warning intervention system to identify students for increased support based on attendance, grades, behavior, and assignment completion.
Creating a positive school climate. Students who feel welcome, supported, and engaged at school are more likely to have better attendance. An essential part of the long-term solution to increasing attendance is sustaining a positive learning environment for all students. Source: https://www.ed.gov/raisethebar/academic-success#ACA
What are we doing at Maine-Endwell to address and provide supports for chronic absenteeism?
Investments in school security including a dedicated School Resource Officer in each building. Students who view school as “safe” are more likely to attend than those who have latent fears or are uncomfortable.
Multi-Tier Support System for each building which includes a school counselor, school social worker, and school psychologist.
Investment in a Community Schools Coordinator who has been tasked with supporting chronic absenteeism and has initiated home visits to support families. The Community Schools District Team has created a SMART goal for 2024-2025 to decrease chronic absenteeism by 2%. Each building completed a resource inventory to identify where there are gaps and will begin the work in September.
At the High School we have created the Student Success Profile that will be used to create plans for each of our students who are identified as chronically absent. Building relationships with the incoming 9th graders and their families has allowed us to learn the "why" [a student is chronically absent] making it easier to guide the direction of our support.
New for 2024-2025, the district will be conducting a comprehensive Culture and Climate Survey for students in grades 4-12, all faculty and staff, and all parents or guardians. We are targeting late September / early October and hope to have significant participation from our parents and guardians.
Conclusion:
Parents and families play a crucial role in promoting good attendance, as they are ultimately responsible for ensuring their children attend school every day. Just as they focus on their children's academic performance, parents should also set clear expectations for regular attendance and closely monitor absences to prevent them from accumulating and causing academic difficulties.
Addressing chronic absenteeism requires a comprehensive approach that includes improved communication, stronger family relationships, targeted interventions, and a positive school climate. Maine-Endwell is actively implementing these strategies, with promising signs of improvement. Continued efforts, particularly in partnership with parents, will be essential to sustaining this progress.
The following forms include important information to help improve your child's attendance:
Keep Your Child on Track in Middle and High School
Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early