Attendance

Why Attendance is Important!
Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways to help prepare children for success — both in school and in life. When school attendance is a priority, children are apt to get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior, and have a better chance of graduating from high school. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning. Too many absences not only can affect achievement for the absent student, but also can disrupt learning for the entire class.

The school calendar accounts for 180 academic school days for students. Research shows that a student should be present 95% of the time to meet regular attendance standards. In a 180 day school year, that means the student should be present at least 171 school days to be considered in regular attendance. Even missing just 10% or two days a month can cause students to be more likely to not read at grade level, and more likely to not graduate.

According to OSPI research shows that students who miss 10 or more school days will be adversely affected in their learning. In fact, 64% of students who have regular attendance will meet reading standard by the end of third grade. However, only 43% of students who are “at risk” in attendance during their Kindergarten or first grade year will meet reading standard by the end of their third grade year. Research also shows, that students who do not meet grade level in reading by their third grade year are four times less likely to graduate high school.

Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves.

Start & Release Times