A tri-county consortium including Wayne RESA has launched a campaign to encourage better school attendance.
The In Class is Where It’s At campaign encourages parents to make sure students are attending school, offers tips for improving attendance, and provides information on the importance of attending.
Good attendance is defined as being at school at least 95 percent of the time. Regular attendance helps students stay on track academically and increases the likelihood they will graduate and make plans for life after high school.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school or about 2 days a month. Missing just two days of school a month adds up to about a month of missed learning by the end of the year. By the end of middle school, those missed months tally to almost a year of missed school.
Nationally, chronic absenteeism shot up from 18 percent before the pandemic to more than one-in-four students chronically absent last year.
Not surprisingly, studies show students with poor attendance also do poorly on national tests.
Dearborn Public Schools overall has a good attendance thanks to parents and community members who understand the importance of being at school. Still, by the end of November, the district had 201 students – 1 percent of pupils – who had missed 15 days or more of school. That is a week of class for every month of school by that time.
Obviously, students will sometimes need to miss class because of illness. The district’s When To Keep A Child Home From School spells out when children must be kept home for common ailments.
Outside of being sick, tips for making sure students are in school on time every day include preparing for school the night before by gathering homework and getting clothes ready, scheduling appointments after school, and planning travel for days off of school.
The attendance campaign website also talks about the importance of children getting enough sleep. A well rested child is less likely to miss school, less likely to have behavior issues at school and more likely to do well academically.Learn more on Wayne RESA’s webpage Parent Resources to Improve School Attendance.