1. It’s Not About the Alarm Clock –
Addressing Chronic Absence:
Why It Matters, What You Can
Do
Shatawn Brigham
Randy Koekkoek
Carol Paine-McGovern
2. Chronic Absence
Missing more than 10% of the school year
Excused and Unexcused
Nationwide, as many as 7.5 million students miss nearly a
month of school every year. That’s 135 million days of lost time
in the classroom
Chronic absenteeism is a red alert that students are headed for
academic trouble and eventually for dropping out of high
school.
Poor attendance isn’t just a problem in high school. It can start
as early as kindergarten.
3. History of Chronic Absence Work
in Kent County
Welfare to Work
Out-stationing DHS Staff in Schools
KSSN Implementation
KSSN and The SOURCE
4. Kent ISD Chronic Early
Absenteeism Study 2006-2010
Lack of data on chronic early absenteeism in Kent County
Understand the scope of absenteeism
Identify areas of higher concentration
Learn about related factors such as race/ethnicity and
poverty
5. Data Source
Kent ISD administrative data
First through third grades
2006-2009
20 school districts
6. Percent of Chronically Absent Students by District
District Size
GRPS 16.3% 4.8% 22,705
Kelloggsvill 10.3% 2.1% 2,430
Kenowa Hil 10.6% 1.3% 3,232
Godwin Ht 9.5% 1.1% 2,537
Godfrey L 8.2% 1.2% 1,916
Wyoming 7.5% 1.1% 5,508
Sparta 6.9% 1.0% 2,764
Kentwood 6.8% 1.0% 9,705
Kent Cty 7.2% 0.5% 4,311
Comstock 6.4% 1.1% 2,612
Cedar Spr 6.3% 0.9% 3,706
Lowell 5.5% 0.7% 3,888
Thornaple 5.4% 0.5% 3,267
Northview 3.9% 0.3% 3,040
Grandvill 3.8% 0.3% 6,404
Byron Ctr 3.5% 0.3% 3,437
Caledonia 3.3% 0.3% 1,527
East GR 2.7% 0.2% 3,160
Forest H 2.2% 0.1% 10,739
Rockford 2.1% 0.2% 8,383
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Percent of Students Chronically Absent
Chronic Extreme Chronic
7.
8. Summary
Chronic early absenteeism was shown to be related to not
meeting the MEAP proficiency standards.
High percentages of chronic early absenteeism were also
shown to be in geographic areas with higher population
density and in areas with more people living at or below
poverty level.
Chronically absent students were 2 times as likely as
students with satisfactory attendance to receive free
lunch, another indicator of living at or below poverty level.
9. Summary Continued
Chronic absenteeism is not pervasive throughout the
county but there are substantial levels of chronic early
absenteeism in urban areas with higher levels of poverty.
Although a disproportionately higher percentage of
African-American and Hispanic students were chronically
absent, the highest number of chronically absent students
is white students.
12. Research Findings
Students Chronically Absent in Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Much Less Likely to Read Proficiently in 3rd Grade.
Chronic Kindergarten Absence predicted lower 5th grade
performance even if attendance had improved in 3rd grade.
Poor children are 4 X more likely to be chronically absent in
Kindergarten than their highest income peers.
13. Critical Ingredients for Success in Kent
County
• Superintendent and Principal Leadership
• District and Building Attendance Policy
• Teacher/Staff Buy-In
• Regular Attendance Meetings
• Parent Outreach
• Attendance Incentives
• Interagency Case Management
• Year End Assessment
14. Role of the Community School
Coordinator
• Sharing the research with parents on chronic
absenteeism and its effect on their children especially
in the early grades (Pre-K, K, & 1st).
• Not “letting up” -- good attendance is expected and
that tardiness is not acceptable.
• Following-up on chronic attendance/tardy
students/families.
• Providing families with resources to remove barriers
that are keeping their children from being at school.
• Working with a Tool for Self Assessment