Nationwide, schools are experiencing attendance issues, with school officials reporting increases in chronic absences.
A December 2023 article published with CBS news stated that last year, 13.6 million students were chronically absent. This is twice as many as the year before. Chronically absent is defined as more than 10% daily absences from school.
School districts all over the United States report that attendance has dropped since the 2020 pandemic which had effects on schools and how students access their schoolwork.
According to an article from October, 2023 by Evie Blad and Published in Education Week, schools nationwide report that many students are missing repeated days of school, more than ever before.
Mental health challenges are also being reported at a higher rate than ever before and schools and mental health providers wonder if there is a link between absences and the mental health crisis among teens today.
A survey conducted by Mental Health America reveals that 11.5% of youth report experiencing severe depression and anxiety.
Absences from school can lead to a decline in overall learning. In order to participate in activities with classmates and hear examples and experiences shared by teachers, students need to be in class.
Learning is best when students participate in their school program. Missed classes lead to confusion and overall lower grades. Students have a difficult time keeping up when they miss school repeatedly.
Schools and educators around the country are wondering what to do about this problem and are working together to try to come up with solutions to help students improve school attendance.
Schools are adding support staff to help students, but there is a shortage of mental health providers. According to Education Weekly, there are 1,127 students per every school psychologist.
Teachers and counselors try to work with students and families to get the student back into the classroom regularly.
At Rocky, if a student needs to miss class, they should have the absence excused by their parent by calling the attendance line or reporting the absence on ParentVu. If a student will be gone for several days, they should communicate with teachers to stay connected to the classroom learning.
You can review these regulations in the Rocky handbook found here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MQzEvfx_pPscU5AQMvQ-D4a6aEQfbQhovbhXtmuSZfQ/edit?usp=sharing
