Attendance Awareness
Chronic absenteeism
is defined as missing 10% or more days of school in a school year - excused or unexcused. For a district with 180 days in a school year, this works out to 18 days, or around two days per month. By third grade, chronically absent students, especially those who have experienced multiple years of poor attendance, are less likely to read on grade level.
Attend Today Achieve Tomorrow!
Did You Know?
When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.
What Is Truancy?
Truancy counts only unexcused absences like skipping class or being absent without a valid reason.
What is Good Attendance?
Missing 9 days or less in a school year (5%). That's about one (1) absence a month or less.
The Impact of Chronic Absenteeism
How early attendance challenges impact long-term student success.
TK/KN
Kindergarten students who are chronically absent have a 61% chance of reading below grade level in third grade.
Kindergarten & 1st grade students who are chronically absent have a 81% chance of reading below grade level in third grade.
KN-1st
4th
In 4th grade, chronically absent students score lower on tests than students who showed good attendance.
By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
6th
9th
By 9th grade, chronic absence becomes a better predictor of a student dropping out than any 8th grade test score.
Between 8th - 12th grade, a student who is chronically absent is 7.4 times more likely to drop out.