hile all school districts have tools in place to inform parents of their child's school absences, it's important they convey this information in a positive and holistic way.
Years after COVID-19 disrupted American schools, nearly every state is still struggling with attendance. But attendance has been worse for Native American students — a disparity that existed before the pandemic and has since grown, according to data collected by The Associated Press.
A new state law meant to crack down on chronically absent students went into effect at the start of the academic year. It's been a source of frustration for districts and families. Waukee Superintendent Brad Buck says it's an important effort, but a tough one to put into place. It took more hours than anticipated.
It is really important to not only share and explain the benefits of regular school attendance but to also develop a shared understanding of the factors underlying chronic absenteeism.
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released its attendance report for the school year 2023-2024. Officials said the report shows the lowest chronic absenteeism and truancy rates for D.C. students since returning to classrooms following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, a record-low 39% of teachers believed education was going in the right direction in their local school districts. Now, their optimism is on the rebound.
