What Does It Take to Get Kids to Stop Skipping School? - Emily Richmond - The Atlantic

What Does It Take to Get Kids to Stop Skipping School? - Emily Richmond - The Atlantic:

What Does It Take to Get Kids to Stop Skipping School?

A New York City pilot program found success by tracking and sharing student attendance data, assigning mentors, and communicating with parents.

Conspirator/Flickr

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—where one out of every five students missed a month or more of school last year -- suggests an intensive community-wide initiative is gaining ground.

First, some background: 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. The national advocacy group 

Attendance Works considers chronic absenteeism as an early warning system that too many schools, parents and students are failing to heed.

Chicago Study: Preschool Absences Predict Student Learning Struggles in Later Grades 

Student Absenteeism: Turning More Eyes Toward Empty Desks 

The Early Habit of Being Late

Compounding the challenge, researchers say, is that the scope of the problem is largely unreported. That's because the statistic typically reported by schools is average daily attendance, which can mask the fact that many students are missing significant amounts of seat time.  (I've written previously about 

some of the reasons why kids say they skip class, and the role motivation can play in their academic success). It's also important to note that it's not just the later grades that matter. A recent Chicago study found absenteeism in