Think back to when you stayed home from school. Did your sick days include drinking ginger ale and watching The Price is Right? Did you ever “skip school” for an appointment, a trip, or something fun? While we might have fond memories of these days from our childhood, it’s important to know that chronic absenteeism in schools on Cape Cod is a huge problem today.
What is “Chronic Absenteeism”?
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in Massachusetts defines chronic absenteeism as a student missing 10% of school days in a given school year (for example, this would be 18 days out of a typical 180-day public school calendar). Understandably, there was a drastic increase in absenteeism rates related to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and into the school year of 2021-22.
Now, there’s great concern that absenteeism levels did not decrease during the 2022-23 school year. In fact, almost 25% of students in Massachusetts qualified as “chronically absent” last school year. Are you wondering how your child’s school fared in these statistics? You can download the report from the DESE website here.
The Massachusetts Commissioner of Education is aiming to bring awareness to this problem. He is targeting both school districts and parents, with the hope of increasing academic achievement. The bottom line is this: kids will fall behind if they are not in school.
How is Cape Cod Affected?
As I dug into the absenteeism data for schools on the Cape, I was surprised by how many of our schools were deemed “Attendance Priority” schools. These are schools whose chronic absenteeism rate was higher in 2022-23 than it was in 2018-19. No grade span is spared. Elementary, middle, and high schools across Cape Cod are flagged for needing improvement in school attendance.
I see the effects of absenteeism on students’ growth firsthand in my role as an elementary school reading teacher. When kids are absent, they’re missing academic lessons impacting their reading, math, and general knowledge content. They’re also missing the routines of school. This includes morning meeting greetings, access to their “specials” classes that they have just once weekly (gym, art, music, etc.), and socialization with their friends at lunch and recess. I see how hard it can be for a child to transition back into school routines after they’ve been out for a few days. They can be more hesitant to join in with their friends or get started on assignments.
How Can We Combat Chronic Absenteeism in Schools on Cape Cod?
There are a few ways to look at this. If a child is sick, of course they should stay home until they are well. But when they are well enough to come to school, can you try to schedule appointments so they aren’t absent for a full day and instead are dismissed early or come in late? Or can you schedule multiple appointments on a day so they only miss one day of school? Do you know how many days your child has been absent, tardy, and dismissed? It will most likely be listed on their report card or in their online school account, but you can always ask the main office if you’d like to know.
If your child is asking to stay home and you suspect they aren’t really “sick,” reach out to the teacher, school counselor, social worker, or even the school nurse. There might be something bigger going on that your child isn’t verbalizing. Sometimes kids would rather avoid the issue than go to school to face it.
Stay connected to the school. Read the principal’s newsletters and look through your child’s backpack every night. Hang the school calendar on your fridge and find ways to participate in your child’s school community. When kids know that their parents are connected to their school, they’re going to be more connected as well.
As we enter this new year of 2024, may it be a year of great learning and attendance for all students on Cape Cod.
