50 states, one aim: Lower continual absenteeism in faculties by 50 p.c in 5 years 

Because the pandemic, faculties have develop into political battlegrounds, the place seemingly each subject is polarized: faculty closures, masks mandates, teachings about race and sexuality, faculty alternative, the content material obtainable in class libraries, and even studying and math instruction.  

Certainly, two of us testified to our variations on a few of these subjects in the identical congressional hearing. However continual absenteeism stands other than these contentious points. Not solely is it not polarized, it’s a very powerful subject dealing with faculties right now.  

Regardless of our variations on different training points, we three agree that each one states and faculty districts should make this the highest precedence for this faculty 12 months, by adopting an formidable aim: lower continual absenteeism by 50 p.c over 5 years. 

Earlier than the pandemic, about 15 p.c of public faculty college students had been chronically absent, which means they missed 10 p.c or extra of the varsity 12 months, or about 18 days. That fee skyrocketed throughout the board through the pandemic, surging in purple and blue states; in high-poverty and low-poverty districts; in city, suburban and rural districts; and amongst all pupil teams.

In 2022, continual absenteeism charges almost doubled their pre-pandemic baseline. Extra alarming nonetheless, by 2023 (the newest 12 months with available data), charges had solely fallen by 2 share factors, suggesting this drawback won’t merely go away by itself. 

We’d like a plan, now, as a result of the actual systemic risk is that these elevated post-pandemic charges of absenteeism will develop into a brand new regular, with dire penalties each for college kids and society. 

Chronically absent college students are much less prone to learn proficiently by third grade, and more likely to struggle academically in middle school and drop out of high school. Lengthy-term results prolong past lecturers, impairing the event of social-emotional and executive-functioning abilities which can be important for achievement in work and life. And continual absenteeism additionally worsens fairness points, deepening alternative gaps for Black, Latino, Native American and low-income college students. 

What’s extra, continual absenteeism does not simply damage the absent college students. Research reveals that when one pupil regularly misses faculty, friends usually tend to do the identical. Absenteeism additionally disrupts the classroom setting, slows the tempo of instruction and makes the tough job of instructing even more durable. 

Whereas the absenteeism problem is daunting, it’s not insurmountable if our training leaders make curbing continual absenteeism their prime precedence subsequent faculty 12 months and keep that focus over time. With out clear objectives, nonetheless, that focus will inevitably wane. That’s why all state and district leaders ought to embrace the daring however achievable aim of reducing continual absenteeism by 50 p.c over 5 years.

To sort out the post-pandemic continual absenteeism disaster, we should perceive its causes.  

Components equivalent to illness, psychological well being, transportation and unwelcoming or unsafe faculty environments contributed to absenteeism earlier than the pandemic — and nonetheless do right now. The pandemic worsened these points by disrupting norms and routines, creating confusion about attending faculty with minor signs, weakening family-school relationships and fostering a misguided perception that distant studying may make up for absences. 

Halving the continual absenteeism fee in 5 years would require an all-hands-on-deck method. These efforts will differ throughout contexts as a result of the causes of continual absenteeism differ from one faculty to the subsequent. However a failure to make use of each instrument obtainable may forestall us from assembly this vital aim. 

One key to this effort is evident communication. Governors and state training leaders must make clear that preventing continual absenteeism is their prime precedence for faculties. In addition they want to lift dad and mom’ and college students’ consciousness concerning the worth of displaying as much as faculty on daily basis, in addition to bolster native educators’ attendance efforts. The superintendents, principals and academics on the entrance traces must stress this subject and engage families — early and sometimes — when college students are vulnerable to changing into chronically absent. Well timed and clear absenteeism knowledge from states and districts should each present the extent of the problem and the progress that faculties make. 

A second secret’s to assist households and have interaction college students. Faculty districts should determine root causes of absenteeism and work with group organizations on points like group security, bodily and psychological well being assets and unstable housing. Likewise, faculties should supply college students studying areas that aren’t solely secure however participating and welcoming, the place every pupil is thought, and is aware of it. 

A 3rd secret’s accountability. For fogeys and college students, meaning re-establishing attendance habits that had been widespread a number of years in the past. For faculties and districts, it means prioritizing pupil wants every day and having clear expectations and applicable responses for households whose college students miss an excessive amount of faculty. For states, meaning setting objectives, monitoring progress and pushing districts and faculties till they flip the tide. 

We all know that considerate approaches to curbing absenteeism will differ throughout 13,000 faculty districts, every with its personal wants and sensibilities. Even amongst ourselves, we differ within the emphasis we place on helps (which we all know are important for particular wants and in addition know these wants didn’t essentially double post-pandemic) and accountability, realizing that heavy-handed penalties might be counterproductive and that overly lenient responses will not be productive sufficient.

However, we strongly agree that efficient motion on continual absenteeism, in each state and district, is essential for the approaching faculty 12 months.  

The specter of continual absenteeism is right here, and an formidable aim is each important and achievable. If our training system fails to show again the pandemic rise in absenteeism, the burden will likely be borne by the subsequent technology of scholars.  

That could be a pandemic legacy our nation can not afford. 

Hedy N. Chang is the founder and govt director of Attendance Works. Denise Forte is the president and CEO of EdTrust. Nat Malkus is a senior fellow and deputy director of Training Coverage Research at AEI.