WHY IS GOOD ATTENDANCE IMPORTANT?

GOOD ATTENDANCEWhen a student misses a day or two or three in school, they are missing vital information. There are components of each

lesson that is linked and leads to the next lesson. Missing that

component can stunt your child’s knowledge

and growth.

Math

English

Science

Music, Art, PE, Health

Good AttendanceThere is a relationship

between attendance and achievement.

Chronic absences, whether excused or unexcused, can

reduce even the best teacher’s ability to provide learning opportunities for

your student.

MISSING SCHOOL

=MISSING

OUT!

What are some of the causes of absences?

SCHOOL CLIMATE

•Students that do not have relationships with staff or other students, tend to feel out of place in the school environment. •Students sometimes may not feel challenged if high expectations are not set for them in the school environment. •Student’s may feel bullied and unsafe.

Pellerin (2000)

Relationships

Safety

Low Expectations

Support

DEMOGRAPHICS

What are some of the causes of absences?

MALES

LOW INCOME

NO HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

Truancy is higher among males than females.Truancy is higher among low income families.Truancy is higher in families where there is only one parent.Truancy is higher in families where the parent(s) do not have a high school diploma.

SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

Baker, et al, 2001, Corvill-Smith, Ryan, Adams, & Dalicundra 1998

What are some of the causes of absences?

Unavoidable and Excused

There are some absences that the State of North

Carolina will acknowledge as excused absences or

lawful absences. When a student is absent for

these reasons, a note is needed from the parent

to document the absence. The absence can not be excused without that

documentation.

Sickness/Medical

Appointments

Court

Death in Family

Accidents

What are the barriers to attendance?

Choosing the wrong friends can lead to other issues such as drug/substance use, unwillingness to respect authority, and can often causes the student to get behind in school. Being unable to relate to people around them because of language barriers or cultural barriers and they choose to not attend school. Prior retentions that places the student with other students not in their age group.Problems at home such as domestic violence, poverty, unemployment

Barriers

Friends

Bullying

Language

Drugs/Alcohol

Unable to relate

Conflict at Home

What does the law say? Every parent, guardian or custodian

having charge or control of a child under age seven who is enrolled in a public school in grades kindergarten through two shall also cause the child to attend school continuously for a period equal to the time which the public school to which the child is assigned shall be in session unless the child has withdrawn from school.

N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-378(a).

What does the law say? (Continued)

No person shall encourage, entice or counsel any child of compulsory attendance age to be unlawfully absent from school.

N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 15c-378(b).

What does the law say? (Continued) The parent, guardian, or custodian

of a child shall notify the school of the reason for each known absence of the child, in accordance with local school board policy.

N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-378(b).

Consequences of AbsencesDelinquency

Drop Out

Social Impa

ct

Financial

Impact

Consequences-continuedPredictions are that chronic absences often leads to negative behaviors such as:

Drug UseSuspensionsTeen PregnancySneaking out of the home without permission.Skipping SchoolHigher Crime among teens.

(Bryant & Zimmerman 2002)

Delinquency

Consequences-continuedDrop Out rates increase when absences are

high. Less students end up graduating if the

attendance issues are not addressed.

Drop Out

Consequences-continued• Chronic

absenteeism has a Social Impact in that students begin to believe that education is not important.

• Less education impacts the workforce.

Social Impact

Consequences-continued Lower salaries for those who are

truant. (Baker, 2001) Many low paying jobs have been

sent to other countries. Therefore, jobs that use to be available to drop outs are no longer available.

Again, businesses lose out because of youth who “hang out” and/or commit offenses during the day and such businesses often make decisions to not create jobs in such areas.

Financial Impact

In ConclusionWhen looking at young children that have had chronic absenteeism beginning in kindergarten, they end up with negative outcomes in first grade and in the years to follow. They are also lower achievers in math, reading and general knowledge.

Romero, M. & Lee, Y (2007) A National Portrait of Chronic Absenteeism in

the Early Grades. New York, NY, The National Center for Children in

Poverty

In ConclusionLack of commitment in school attendance often leads to other risk .

Strong commitment from the student and the parent can be a protective factor against some of these risky behaviors among youth.

Truancy: First Step to a Lifetime of

Problems by Eileen Garry,

Juvenile Justice Bulletin, October 1996

In ConclusionRemember:

School attendance is important and it teaches your child values that will be reflected in all they do in the years to come. Support them and help them be in school every day.

MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS IN

SCHOOL

From the Social WorkerKimberly Chavis

For more information:Call 910-785-3780 and schedule a meeting to discuss any attendance questions you may have.

A link concerning NC Compulsory Law is provided on Prospect School web site under Classroom Websites

Attendance letters will go out to the parents on the first and third week of each month.

Look for other resources on the School Social Worker web page.