MEDIA CONTACT:
Shayne Wells (DME) (202)215-8384
Jessie Harteis (OSSE) (202)344-9805
Today, Deputy Mayor for Education Jennifer Niles and State Superintendent Hanseul Kang celebrated September as Attendance Awareness Month, urging schools and communities across the District to prioritize the importance of school attendance.
Attendance Awareness Month is an initiative sponsored by Attendance Works to rally communities across the nation around the importance of attending school every day. A recent study by Attendance Works found that fourth-grade students with three or more absences prior to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scored the equivalent of a full grade level lower than their peers with fewer absences or about 12 points lower on average. For urban, low-income students in elementary school, each additional day absent from school correlates with a 7 percent lower probability of graduating from high school.
The Graduation Pathways Report released by DME last year found a direct correlation between school attendance and on-time graduation in District schools. Specifically, the report noted, “8th grade students with seven or more total absences or 6 or more unexcused absences graduate on-time at a rate of only 55 percent.” As such, almost one out of every two eighth graders with more than six unexcused absences is not expected to graduate high school on time.
“We know that when our young people are not in school, they are missing out on valuable instructional time,” Deputy Mayor Niles said. “I am proud to join the District’s leaders to underscore the huge importance of school attendance.”
Attendance Awareness Month provides the District an opportunity to raise community awareness about the importance of school attendance and demonstrate that attendance is a top priority. The District is hosting a set of activities in September through the Truancy Taskforce that will engage students, parents, educators and community members around the issue of attendance. Activities include attendance webinars for educators, promotional materials for students and parents, and a social media awareness campaign using the hashtag #schooleverydayDC.
“Research indicates that absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. This collective effort to focus on attendance early in the school year sets the tone that every day is critical,” Superintendent Kang said. “Early identification means an opportunity for early intervention, and early intervention means we can connect students and families to resources that may prevent truancy and promote consistent school attendance.”
For more information on Attendance Awareness Month Activities, please visit: http://osse.dc.gov/node/1108787.