The cure for the school attendance crisis? Family support and a sense of belonging

Key points:

Empty seats have become a common sight in our nation’s classrooms. Students are missing school at record-high rates–not because they don’t want to be there, but because significant barriers are blocking the door to get in.

It’s easy to associate chronic absenteeism with the stereotype of the disillusioned hooky-playing student. However, the reality for students is complex, and, at times, heartbreaking. From housing instability to the growing mental health crisis, systemic issues are contributing to the rising chronic absenteeism rate in our country, impacting even our youngest students. 

Because the long-term consequences of absenteeism can devastate a child’s academic future, keeping students in the classroom can’t be left to the schools alone. It will require an intentional, community-wide approach that includes everyone–parents, legislators, school leaders, and community partners–to ensure our kids have access to the education they deserve.

Three strategies every school should start now

Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10 percent or more of the school year. Here in Georgia, the chronic absenteeism rate is 21 percent, in line with the nationwide average of 23 percent. What is most shocking, however, is that this number has increased post-pandemic–a clear indicator that the problem isn’t letting up any time soon.

The good news? In states like Georgia, legislators and school leaders are working together to address attendance. In March, the state legislature passed bill SB 123, which prohibits schools from expelling chronically absent students and requires school systems with high absenteeism rates to establish attendance review teams and intervention services. 

Yet, curing the crisis will take more than a bill. Districts must develop comprehensive action plans that start in the schools and extend into students’ homes. Here are three ways they can start:

1. Lead with empathy and understanding. Districts have long viewed chronic absenteeism as an act of defiance rather than a symptom of underlying socio-economic issues. When students are punished for their lack of attendance or denied the support to catch up with their classmates, a vicious cycle emerges. Students who feel they no longer belong will completely disengage, and worse, stop coming to school altogether.

Schools need to assess, and if necessary, revamp their multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) frameworks to ensure they provide processes for identifying students at risk, establishing clear attendance policies and procedures, and developing individualized attendance plans in response to family crises.

In addition, strong teacher-student relationships are one of the best preventative measures against absenteeism. Districts must provide educators with the training to recognize and address attendance issues and allow them the flexibility to adapt learning to students’ needs when issues emerge.

2. Establish holistic wraparound services. While the root causes of absenteeism are diverse, poverty tends to be the prevailing issue. Not only are families struggling financially, but poverty contributes to a growing rise in violence, mental health issues, and transportation challenges.

Georgia has been at the forefront of establishing wraparound services in all of our schools and employing a wraparound specialist at each Regional Education Service Agency in the state. The goal of each center is to fulfill the basic needs of children facing significant challenges in the home.

When schools address the whole child, outcomes significantly improve for the student. Depending on the wraparound center, kids can shower, wash their clothes, and receive basic hygiene items as well as access tutoring services, school-based health services, and community resources that serve the entire family.  In one Georgia school district, the absenteeism rate dropped from 38 percent to 22 percent in two years after schools built wraparound services into individualized student plans.

3. Reengage parents and caregivers in their children’s education. Two of the most destructive impacts of the pandemic have been the undermining of the value parents placed on education and families’ disengagement from the school culture.

Research from The Brookings Institute found that caretakers frequently underestimate or underreport their children’s absences, and less than half report being concerned about regular attendance. Districts have a duty to rebuild relationships with families, reopen the lines of communication, and reinforce the importance of regular attendance on student outcomes.

Combatting the chronic absenteeism crisis requires educators, parents, and students to embrace a shared commitment to regular attendance. When schools recognize the challenges students face and provide interventions that foster their sense of belonging, attendance, grades, and graduation rates skyrocket. Just as important, when similar support is offered to caregivers, they are empowered to become unwavering advocates for their children’s education in the years to come.