We have just 9 weeks of school left, and this is a great time to set your intention for your child to attend every single one of those days! Students who are present for instruction all day every day, not surprisingly, perform much better academically than students who are consistently late or absent from school. Students who miss more than 10 days of school (about one day per month) are considered to be chronically absent. During the pandemic, schools saw much higher rates of absenteeism, and while things have improved, we have still not yet returned to pre-pandemic rates of attendance. Most concerningly, findings from researchers at the University of Southern California show that a majority of parents and caregivers of students with high rates of school absences are not concerned about their children’s missed days. These same researchers suggest that schools need to be reaching out to parents with clear messaging about the importance of consistent school attendance.

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The USC study also found that parents underestimated the number of days their child had actually missed of school. When parents are underestimating the number of days missed, they may not fully understand the impact it has on their child’s education. Our school does daily attendance calls when students have missed school. We also send home Talking Points messages and attendance letters when students are chronically absent. We will continue this practice in hopes of both keeping parents informed about the number of days missed and number of times a student is tardy, as well as partnering with families if there is something we can do at school to support stronger attendance for your child. You can also look at your child’s most recent report card to see the number of times they have been late and absent to school each trimester.

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As we review our students’ data, the clear connection between attendance and school performance is evident. When students are performing below standard on MAP Testing and DIBELS testing, our data shows that they are in the process of learning English, that they have a specific learning disability, or that they are chronically absent from instruction. Bringing your child to school on-time every day is the MOST important way you can support their school success. Students who arrive late to school each day are missing some block of important instruction. This is usually math or reading, the subjects that happen first thing in each class when students are most focused. When students miss this instruction, they will have difficulty with independent work and homework. It is almost impossible to “make up” this lost school time.

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If you have concerns about your child’s school performance or if your child’s teacher has mentioned concerns, set a goal to have your child arrive on time each day. Even with 9 weeks left, every minute of learning time is precious and will help prepare your child for the next grade level. If there is something that we can do at school to ensure your child’s attendance, please reach out to their teacher. We want to partner with you to help your child get the best possible education.