Student success begins with coming to school. Each day that a student is absent from school is a day of lost opportunity.  Research shows that, starting as early as kindergarten or pre-kindergarten, chronic absence can have adverse consequences for academic achievement.  By third grade, chronically absent students, especially those who have experienced multiple years of poor attendance, are less likely to read on grade level.  By sixth grade, chronic absence becomes a warning sign that a student will drop out of high school.

What attendance tells us:

• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing other serious difficulties.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation than 8th grade test scores.

Bringing awareness to the issue of chronic absenteeism, and providing education about the importance of regular school attendance, is an important step toward prevention.  We all play a key role.

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