Mapping the Early Attendance Gap
School absence in children from low-income families and communities of color and those with disabilities are disproportionately affected. This isn’t simply a matter of truancy or skipping school. In fact, many of these absences, especially among our youngest students, are excused and tied directly to health factors: asthma and dental problems, learning disabilities, and mental health issues related to trauma and community violence.
Regardless of the reason for missing school, absenteeism in the early years can set a pattern of academic trouble and poor attendance in later grades.
These early attendance gaps turn into achievement gaps that create graduation gaps. Poor attendance is among our first and best warning signs that a student has missed the on-ramp to school success and is headed off track for graduation. We must address attendance and its connection to public health early in a child’s life.
This report maps the national attendance gap — the who, what, when, where and why of absenteeism — using research drawn from national sources as well as attendance data gathered across states from students taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Health emerges again and again, both as a challenge and as a solution to improving attendance.
5 Key Recommendations are Outlined:
Step 1: Make the Case That Chronic Early Absence Matters
Step 2: Map Chronic Early Absence
Step 3: Engage Partners in Unpacking Why Early Absences Occur
Step 4: Learn from Positive Outliers
Step 5: Embed Action into Existing Initiatives
Author:
Attendance Works and Healthy Schools Campaign
Resource Type:
Topics:
URL:
http://www.attendanceworks.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mapping-the-Early-Attendance-Gap-Final-4.pdf
