Reducing Chronic Absence

Chronic absence merits careful attention and action since our ability to identify and support chronically absent students and their families has the potential to reduce the achievement gap, turn around under performing schools, and increase students’ readiness for college and careers. Chronic absence is one of the earliest indications we have that students are not on course. By tracking the number of absences a student has, whether they are excused or unexcused, we can take action at a point in time when prevention interventions are most likely to succeed. Multiple years of chronic absence at any point in a child’s career is a red flag for academic trouble.