According to Education Dive, a new bill in the Wyoming Legislature reflects a larger question for school districts grappling to address attendance and absenteeism issues. If passed, it would allow districts to set their own policies regarding excused and unexcused absences and to decide how...
In Education Dive, Shawna De La Rosa takes a look at how school districts and administrators are using innovative methods to fight absenteeism—from “going door-to-door to talk with students and their families about the importance of going to school, to sending text messages and automated...
Since ESSA’s passage, “school districts and child welfare agencies around the country have been tasked with developing transportation plans to keep foster youth in their schools of origin if that is what they prefer.” Sara Tiano examines Los Angeles County’s approach to fulfilling this requirement,...
“The Every Student Succeeds Act puts more pressure on schools to ensure their students show up every day,” writes Evie Blad for Education Week. “But when it comes to addressing chronic absenteeism, some educators and policy makers say they are building the plane in the...
According to Gallup’s Mark Reckmeyer—also reporting on the chronic absenteeism issue—with the implementation of ESSA and it’s “encouraging more diligent tracking and reporting of student behavior metrics,” chronic absenteeism “has become a focal point for parents, principals, districts, and states (36 states include chronic absenteeism...
In Governing, J. Brian Charles reports that chronic absenteeism “plagues” schools across the nation, with roughly 14% of students chronically absent over the 2013-2014 academic year. But there’s a simple answer to this problem, he argues. “When kids are absent, schools are required by state...
Elizabeth Behrman reports for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the Woodland Hills School District in Pennsylvania, which “is among more than 30 [school districts] that partner with the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s ‘Be There Campaign,’ aimed at reducing the number of students who are chronically...
“Should schools allow students to take excused mental health days?” asks Evie Blad in Education Week. Some students in Oregon sure think so. They are supporting a bill that would add “mental or behavioral health” to the list of legitimate reasons for school absence. This...
This Education Dive piece takes a look at a recent study of Baltimore City Public Schools, which shows that student use of public transportation to get to and from school is “associated” with growth in absenteeism. “With districts now learning more about the multiple reasons why students...
In this podcast recording, Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Jill Anderson talks to behavioral scientist Todd Rogers about chronic absenteeism. “Reducing absenteeism is vital, says Rogers, as the Every Student Succeeds Act has led in many states to the increased use of absenteeism as one...
