FActs about school Attendance

1. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. 

2. Chronic absence appears to have doubled by the end of the 2021-22 school year. We estimate that it now affects nearly one out of three students (or 16 million vs. 8 million students in the 2018-19 school year). 

3. Absenteeism starts early. 

4. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back. 

5. By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. 

6. Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. 

7. Students who live in communities with high levels of poverty are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation, and a lack of access to health care. 

8. When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic progress, and chances for graduating increases. 

9. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students. 

10. Poor attendance in school leads to poor attendance in the workforce and leads to job struggles as an adult. 

KEY FACTS ON CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM 

When a student misses two (2) days a month, they will 

• miss twenty (20) days a year! 
• miss thirty (30) hours of math over the school year! 
• miss sixty (60) hours of reading and writing over the school year! 
• • miss over one (1) year of school by graduation! 

When a student misses four (4) days a month, 

• they will miss forty (40) days a year! 
• miss sixty (60) hours of math over the school year! 
• miss 120 (120) hours of reading and writing over the school year! 
• miss over two (2) years of school by graduation! 

 1. Literacy is more than reading. Many people think of reading when they hear the word literacy. Literacy refers to the ability to read, write, communicate, and comprehend. 

2. Teaching literacy is a complex process. Exceptional teachers understand literacy processes and the developmental path of literacy development. 

3. Exceptional teachers use a variety of strategies to promote literacy. Effective teachers use instructional methods that are proven for success! 

4. Students need to learn to love reading AND the mechanics. Encouraging a love of reading at an early age can promote motivation. Reading aloud and choosing engaging books are just two ways to help students enjoy reading. 

5. Children need to have an understanding of print, not just what the letters are called. Students need to know how to hold a book and where to start on the page. They need to understand how to move across from left to right and top to bottom. They need to know that letters are what we use to represent sounds. 

6. Learning to speak has ties to learning to read. Songs, word games, and wordplay can all be part of literacy instruction. Children with hearing, speech, or language delays may have reading struggles. 

7. With the right support, struggling readers can excel. Understanding why a child is struggling allows teachers to help a student get past stumbling blocks. 

8. Exceptional literacy teachers know their students and what a student brings to the table. Prior knowledge has a significant effect on reading, so teachers who know their students well, including their background, can help choose effective strategies for the child. 

9. Learning reading and writing involves at an early age leads to future success! 

10. Games absolutely have a place in teaching literacy. Games are one of the many tools teachers have at their disposal for teaching literacy. Making reading fun is a win/win for everyone! 

Reading is the foundation of your child’s education!!! Build your child’s foundation solid and secure!!! INVEST IN YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE EVERY DAY! PRACTICE READING LIKE AN ATHLETE PRACTICES FOR THEIR SPORT!