Possip Knowledge and Content Manager, Mandy Wallace, shares how to stay on top of attendance struggles this year.
Last week, the AP reported that Millions of kids are missing weeks of school as attendance tanks across the US. The article points to reasons for high absenteeism pre-pandemic such as illness and transportation. However, the article also illustrates with heart-breaking stories; from children across the country to new trends experts are noticing post-pandemic:
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- A shift in how families and students feel more disconnected as “school relationships have frayed.”
- A greater disconnect “as many parents and students don’t see the point of regular attendance” after getting accustomed to virtual and asynchronous learning.
- More absences due to illness as students have been “conditioned to stay home at the slightest sign of sickness.”
Possip has resources to help administrators as they wrestle with shifting mindsets back to ensuring students want to and actually do show attendance at school.
- This article, posted pre-pandemic, dives into four perennial reasons students miss school and solutions schools can offer: Chronic Absenteeism and Parents: 4 Things to Know
- This post-pandemic article helps provide a framework for understanding barriers to student presence. It rounds up solutions for school leaders: Understanding Barriers to Attendance
- This post recaps our virtual event (Jan 2023) with a panel discussion focussed on Tactics for Increasing Attendance and Enrollment. There are links to the full event and resources sprinkled throughout the summary. There are also links listed at the end of the article for your convenience.
- Finally, Possip offers an Attendance Checks service for schools interested in reaching out to families that struggle with chronic absenteeism. Learn more and contact us to discuss your school’s needs! Possip Attendence Checks
