Attendance really does matter. When students miss school they miss a learning opportunity. Even the best teacher in the world can not provide quality learning opportunities if the student is absent.
Due to the high correlation between attendance and student achievement, school districts must report to the state their daily average attendance. The National Center for Educational Statistics reports that a recent study (Romero and Lee 2007) found absenteeism in kindergarten was associated with negative outcomes in first grade that included lower achievement in reading, math, and general knowledge.
Therefore, it is important to know that the more school your child misses the more challenging it will be for him/her to demonstrate proficiency in the learning standards. If we establish a pattern of letting our children stay home they will rapidly fall behind their peers. The longer a child is absent from school the more frustrated they become as they have missed significant instruction and practice.
The effects of missed school days accumulates very quickly and students fall behind as their daily schedule involves extensive learning opportunities that can’t always be duplicated.
Poor attendance also has long term outcomes with serious implications on graduation rates. These differences in absentee rates were observed as early as kindergarten, and students who eventually dropped out of high school missed significantly more days of school in first grade than their peers who graduated. (Allensworth and Easton 2005)
As students are required to demonstrate their proficiency on national and state standards it is even more critical that they be in school. Students are not going to slip by, but have to demonstrate they have met the specific skills/standards in each content area before moving on. Students are being educated in an era that involves high expectations and accountability.
That accountability applies to educators and parents alike. As noted above, having the student in school is one of the greatest factors for determining his/her success in school. Every day does count!
We are shaping the mindset that students have towards school. Please establish the expectation that they be in school daily and on time.
