Chronic Absenteeism: New York City Makes Strides Toward Keeping Kids In School
When it comes to tackling the problem of chronic absenteeism, students who already already have a track record of skipping class can be a particularly tough crowd to sway. But a new report out of New York City suggests an intensive community-wide initiative is gaining ground.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10 percent of the instructional days over the course of an academic year, which amounts to about 18 days in the average district. And while conversations about truancy might typically bring to mind older students ditching class, it's not just the later grades that matter. A recent Chicago study found absenteeism in preschool contributed to social-emotional developmental delays as well as academic hurdles that students were still trying to overcome in later grades. (For more on chronic absenteeism as an early warning system, check out the nonpartisan advocacy organization Attendance Works.)
The New York City report, compiled by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, looks at the impact of a task force created by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to address the city's high rate of school absenteeism. The group's pilot program, aimed at at-risk students, started with 25 high-need schools in its first
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10 percent of the instructional days over the course of an academic year, which amounts to about 18 days in the average district. And while conversations about truancy might typically bring to mind older students ditching class, it's not just the later grades that matter. A recent Chicago study found absenteeism in preschool contributed to social-emotional developmental delays as well as academic hurdles that students were still trying to overcome in later grades. (For more on chronic absenteeism as an early warning system, check out the nonpartisan advocacy organization Attendance Works.)
The New York City report, compiled by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, looks at the impact of a task force created by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to address the city's high rate of school absenteeism. The group's pilot program, aimed at at-risk students, started with 25 high-need schools in its first