The Common Core State Standards aim to improve educational benchmarks and prepare students for college and careers, but kids won't get those benefits if they aren't in class. Students do occasionally miss a day of school, as illness, family vacations, etc., can occur. However, ideally students would be seated in the classroom every day, getting all the important information they'll need. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University showed just how many students were chronically absent from kindergarten, and the percentages varied based on state. In some places around the country, as many as one in three students is chronically absent.
What is chronic absenteeism?
The report defines absenteeism as the raw total of days a student misses class, whether the absence is excused or not. Basically, if a kindergarten student isn't in class often because of illness, family issues, lack of transportation or virtually any other reason, he or she is chronically absent. More specifically, missing 10 percent of school days (about 18 days) qualifies a student to be in this category. Some states define chronic absenteeism as missing 20 days or a whole month of class.
Why it matters
When students aren't in school, they not only miss information from their teachers, but they also have to spend the days they're back in school catching up. The Common Core is organized in steps. Each grade, students build upon knowledge they learned the year before. As such, if kindergartners are chronically absent, they could fail to gain vital first-year knowledge that acts as the foundation for the rest of their schooling. What's more, the report noted that students who are chronically absent in kindergarten report poor performance in first grade. Missing that much schooling can also create a skills gap between students.
How to combat it
According to NPR, Los Angeles schools are trying to find ways to prevent absenteeism. One school uses a system of rewards to entice kids to attend class. Students' names are put in a box and the teacher randomly picks one. If that student is in class, he or she can get a prize. Sometimes the system works, getting kids fired up about being in school. Other times, absence is unavoidable, especially in areas where many parents can't afford a car.
Attending class from kindergarten on ensures students get the information they need to succeed in school. However, many students are chronically absent, which can result in skills gaps. Make sure your child is in class as often as possible.
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