Successful Schools begin with Great Attendance!
Successful schools begin by engaging students and making sure they come to
school regularly. That may seem obvious. What's less obvious is that the
consequences of low attendance are serious for all children and for the
community, not just the students who miss school.
School attendance data on GreatSchools.org (which comes from the state
Department of Education) gives you baseline information on the quality of a
school. The type of data displayed depends on what each state Department of
Education makes available. In Texas, for example, you will see the attendance
rate and the mobility rate, while in Washington, you'll see the unexcused
absence rate. Where available, you'll find this information under the School
Environment tab under "Students" on each school profile.
What does the attendance rate tell you about a school?
The attendance rate tells you the average percentage of students attending
school each day in the given year, as reported by the state Department of
Education. (Some states report this attendance rate as the percentage of
students with unexcused absences.) You can also see the state average for the
attendance rate and compare how your school stacks up. In some states, you will
see the mobility rate (which means the percentage of students who transfer out
of the school). Most schools have high attendance rates. If your school's
attendance rate is below the state average, the school may face challenges in
getting students to come to school regularly. Ask the principal why the
attendance rate is lower than the state average and what the school is doing to
address this issue.
How important is attendance?
The attendance rate is important because students are more likely to succeed
in academics when they attend school consistently. It's difficult for the
teacher and the class to build their skills and progress if a large number of
students are frequently absent. In addition to falling behind in academics,
students who are not in school on a regular basis are more likely to get into
trouble with the law and cause problems in their communities.
A 2008 study conducted by the Rodel Community Scholars at Arizona State
University that tracked students from kindergarten through high school found
that dropout patterns were linked with poor attendance, beginning in
kindergarten. Gregory Hickman, director of the Rodel Community Scholars program
and former director of the Arizona Dropout Initiative, notes they discovered
that as early as kindergarten, behavioral differences are apparent between those
who go on to graduate and those who drop out, with dropouts missing an average
of 124 days by eighth grade.
School budgets may suffer when students don't attend. In many states, school
budgets are based on the average daily attendance at a school. If many students
enrolled at a school fail to consistently attend, the school has less money to
pay for essential classroom needs
school regularly. That may seem obvious. What's less obvious is that the
consequences of low attendance are serious for all children and for the
community, not just the students who miss school.
School attendance data on GreatSchools.org (which comes from the state
Department of Education) gives you baseline information on the quality of a
school. The type of data displayed depends on what each state Department of
Education makes available. In Texas, for example, you will see the attendance
rate and the mobility rate, while in Washington, you'll see the unexcused
absence rate. Where available, you'll find this information under the School
Environment tab under "Students" on each school profile.
What does the attendance rate tell you about a school?
The attendance rate tells you the average percentage of students attending
school each day in the given year, as reported by the state Department of
Education. (Some states report this attendance rate as the percentage of
students with unexcused absences.) You can also see the state average for the
attendance rate and compare how your school stacks up. In some states, you will
see the mobility rate (which means the percentage of students who transfer out
of the school). Most schools have high attendance rates. If your school's
attendance rate is below the state average, the school may face challenges in
getting students to come to school regularly. Ask the principal why the
attendance rate is lower than the state average and what the school is doing to
address this issue.
How important is attendance?
The attendance rate is important because students are more likely to succeed
in academics when they attend school consistently. It's difficult for the
teacher and the class to build their skills and progress if a large number of
students are frequently absent. In addition to falling behind in academics,
students who are not in school on a regular basis are more likely to get into
trouble with the law and cause problems in their communities.
A 2008 study conducted by the Rodel Community Scholars at Arizona State
University that tracked students from kindergarten through high school found
that dropout patterns were linked with poor attendance, beginning in
kindergarten. Gregory Hickman, director of the Rodel Community Scholars program
and former director of the Arizona Dropout Initiative, notes they discovered
that as early as kindergarten, behavioral differences are apparent between those
who go on to graduate and those who drop out, with dropouts missing an average
of 124 days by eighth grade.
School budgets may suffer when students don't attend. In many states, school
budgets are based on the average daily attendance at a school. If many students
enrolled at a school fail to consistently attend, the school has less money to
pay for essential classroom needs