By Alexis Carr, Editor in Chief
Consistent school attendance is important to ensuring children gain a strong foundation for subsequent learning. Federal law requires all children and young adults in the United States to go to school. However, many fall short in following through.
An estimated 5 million to 7.5 million U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year. Their problems can range from tardies, absences, and truancies. Students are often perceived to be lazy or irresponsible by teachers when not following through with attending school. Meanwhile, teachers can be seen as uptight and too strict by these students.
So what can be done for both students and teachers to reach a consensus and address the issue? Staff and students at Indian Trail High School and Academy have some ideas.
Clara Marr, a Communications Academy senior, misses school on occasion for personal reasons.
“I have a low blood count, which in turn can cause anemia. So therefore I get blood transfusions to help prevent this issue, which is also the reason behind my absences,” said Marr.
She personally doesn’t receive any backlash from her peers or teachers when missing a few days of school.
“I personally don’t notice or receive any negative responses when missing these days. I make sure that my mom calls ahead to notify the school regarding my absence and I also remember to bring a doctor’s note every time I return so there won’t be any issues,” she said.
According to the Absences Add Up campaign, a national initiative to address and eliminate chronic absenteeism, when students are absent for fewer days, their grades and reading skills often improve—even among those students who are struggling in school. Students who attend school regularly also feel more connected to their community, develop important social skills and friendships, and are significantly more likely to graduate from high school, setting them up for a strong future.
Although Marr doesn’t receive negative responses or penalties for her excused absences, she does recognize that there are some students who do.
“If their reason for absences is for something out of their control, I don’t think they should be penalized for
it,” Marr said.
“However, I do recommend that they keep in mind to bring a note and call ahead to excuse themselves,” she said. “They should also consider talking to someone within the school if they are comfortable enough if the reason is serious.”
Students and teachers often have trouble reaching a common ground when the issue comes up. They have misconceptions about each other, such as the perception students are irresponsible when missing these days or that teachers won’t understand.
Elliot Cohen, a student support specialist, had a few suggestions as to how teachers and students should approach the issue.
“I know everyone can’t take this approach, the approach of finding out what’s in each other’s world. Everyone has something in them that makes them click and we have to find ways to find what that element is,” he said.
“Each student is different, you can’t have a cookie-cutter approach or a one size fits all, because it doesn’t work. Everyone has something that makes them motivated,” said Cohen. “As an educator we have to find what it is to make that student click and tap into that and push that button to get the maximum potential out of that student.”
Students often have tardies, absences, and truancies because of personal issues. They may be homeless or sleep deprived, or work late hours at a job. Low-income students are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons out of their control.
“It takes time to find what it is that motivates that student. But when you do, the reward is always better than whatever the sacrifice has been made through time and energy,” said Cohen. “That’s what we have to keep our eyes focused on, what we are getting, not what we are losing.”