The Problem – Attendance Works
Do you care that America is in a downward trend in reading skills? Literacy is declining because students are missing school days. Does this mean Americans are losing faith in their schools? The latest national statistics show that 54% of adults read below the 6th grade level. For our 9-year-olds (3rd graders), this year’s reading performance has had its greatest score drop since 1990. The US now ranks 36th in literacy, and we are falling behind rapidly. http://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/post/literacy-statistics-2024-2025-where-are-we-now
Absenteeism indicates a lack of interest.
One of the leading indicators of America’s lack of concern is the rate of chronic absenteeism in our schools. Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student missing 50% of a day’s instruction for any reason for 10% of the enrollment period. So, in a 180-day school year, a student is chronically absent if he or she misses half or all of 18 days’ instruction. This is the equivalent of missing a month’s worth of school each year.
As you can guess, chronic absenteeism closely correlates with a decline in student achievement. For our youngest learners, this may cripple them academically for the rest of their lives. Data shows that our K-5 through 3rd graders are already struggling to learn reading and math. Take away their time with their teachers and the lessons offered and the child who starts behind is unlikely to ever catch up. Some of our brightest minds are stunted beginning from their earliest school exposure. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=38
Why is absenteeism a problem?
Is this an issue of parental neglect? Do parents care that their children are in classes every day? How many parents know the number of school class days their child has missed?
In the 2023-2024 school year in Florence County, SC, chronic absenteeism ranged from 18.1% (FSD5) to 26.2% (FSD1). Certainly there are reasons for some children missing school, such as medical problems. But that’s rarely the problem. The fact that over a quarter of our children miss significant numbers of school days is inexcusable.
Our schools are struggling to teach our children. It appears that many of our students’ parents are making the teachers’ job harder—and more frustrating.