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Attendance News

How to Keep Your Child on Track in School:  Pay Attention to Attendance!

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student's academic success.  Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.

Did You Know?

  • Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful, and on track to graduation.
  • Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.
  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
  • By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scorees.
  • Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student's academic success.

What You Can Do

Make School Attendance a Priority

  • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
  • Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night's sleep.
  • Try not to schedule dental and non-urgent related medical appointments during the school day if possible.
  • Keep your student healthy.  If you are concerned about a contagious illness, call your school or health care provider.
  • If you children must stay home because they are sick, make sure they ask teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom.

Communicate with the School

  • Know the school's attendance policy
  • Check on your child's attendance regularly to be sure absences are not adding up.
  • Seek help from school staff, other parents, or community agencies if you need support