Parent Resources About Attendance

Regular school attendance helps students in so many ways including forming routines, learning new subjects and skills, staying on track academically, and graduating on time. Attending daily also helps students form connections with teachers and their peers and with making friends, which are important parts of social-emotional development. In addition, the habit of good attendance will help your student(s) do well in their future workplace.

Is your student struggling to attend school regularly? How can we help? Click here or scan the QR code to fill out a help form.

School & Family Partnership Form QR Code

Chronic absence measures lost learning time. It has been defined as missing 10% or more of the total number of days enrolled in school per year for any reason– excused, unexcused, or out of school suspension. Being chronically absent impacts students negatively. Research shows these students tend to have difficulty reading on grade level by third grade, succeeding in middle school, and graduating from high school. Missing only two days a month can put a student at risk for being chronically absent.

Research has shown that there are 4 categories chronically absent students fall into. 

• Misconceptions about school attendance that are not true-
  • Pre-K and Kindergarten are not important for learning, in fact these are very important for later school success.
  • Only unexcused absences are a problem.
  • Missing a day here or there doesn’t affect my child’s learning.
  • Attendance only matters in the upper grades.
  • Students should miss school for any illness symptom.
• Barriers to attendance-
  • Lack of access to basic needs services-transportation/housing.
  • Chronic health condition or lack of health care/dental care.
  • Caring for family members.
  • Trauma.
• Disliking or avoiding school-
  • Academic or social challenges.
  • Unwelcoming school climate.
  • Bullying or Teasing by others.
  • Parents had a negative school experience.
• Disengagement from school-
  • Lack of engaging or relevant instruction.
  • No meaningful relationships with adults in the school.
  • Failing to earn credits towards graduation.
  • Lack of supports, academic, mental, or behavioral.

Resource-Instant Insight for Disengagement-2 minute video from a professional therapist

Is your student experiencing any of these barriers? Scan the QR code and give us more information so we can help you.

There are so many positive things to look forward to when students attend school daily. Being at school helps students achieve higher academically, build stronger relationships with their peers and teachers, and creates a sense of belonging. Attending school provides students with the opportunity to develop critical life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and time management. They also benefit from structured routines, opportunities for physical activity, access to low cost meals, and access to mental health services.

Yes! Kindergarten is very important to your child’s future learning. In kindergarten your child will be learning important skills that will "set the course” for school success in the years to come. Research shows that Kindergarteners who are chronically absent perform at a lower level in reading, math and general knowledge. Kindergarten provides students with the building blocks necessary to read on grade level.

• Kindergarten infographic
  • Is Good Attendance in Kindergarten Important infographic 2024
  • SP Is Good Attendance in Kindergarten Important

Chronic health conditions can be regularly managed at school. Our schools are staffed with school nurses and support staff trained to deal with an assortment of illnesses and chronic conditions. Set up a time to speak with your school’s nurse about your child’s condition and form a plan for medication management, flare ups and other medical needs your child may have at school.

You  may also find the following articles helpful.

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests 5 ways to help keep kids with special care needs healthy and in school. 
• You can find many resources to guide you on healthychildren.org . 

Resources for families struggling with asthma:

• Help Your Child Gain Control Over Asthma
• Dusty the Asthma Goldfish and His Asthma Triggers Funbook

Children should be kept home if they have had a fever within the last 24 hours, diarrhea, or vomiting. Attendance Works, a national attendance alliance, in coordination with Pediatricians, have provided guidance on when it is okay to send your child to school. You can find guidance in English here or in Spanish here. If you are unsure whether or not to keep your child home due to another sickness not listed, you can always contact the school nurse first thing in the morning to help you determine if they should come to school. 

Arriving late to school is better than not attending school at all. If your child is having difficulty getting up on time, form bedtime routines, encourage them to get to bed earlier, set an earlier alarm, or multiple alarms, and prepare backpacks, clothes and lunches the night before. If you are experiencing transportation issues, communicate with your child’s school and work together to come up with solutions. Your school is there to help you remove barriers. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the school and see what resources are available to help your child attend and succeed in school.

Scheduling time together as a family is important, but school is important too. Families are encouraged to schedule family vacations and travel during scheduled school vacation times in order to avoid too many absences. School is better for everyone when your student is present at school. When students miss days at school, the whole class can be impacted. 

Benefits from school come not only from completing classroom assignments, but also from interacting with their teachers and peers and participating in extracurricular activities that can boost self esteem and social skills. We highly encourage students to come to school as often as possible. The habit of good attendance will benefit your child now and into their adulthood for a successful future. 

Establish the habit of attendance early by setting an expectation of daily attendance. Establish bedtime and morning routines for yourself and your child to get to school on time. Try to avoid non-emergency medical and dental visits during school hours. Schedule extended family vacation when school is not in session. Speak with your child’s teacher about attendance and discuss any concerns you have so the school can help resolve issues you may be facing. 

Speak with your child/children about their school day, ask what they enjoy at school and brainstorm ideas to make things they don’t particularly enjoy better. Monitor your child’s attendance on Skyward and reach out to the child’s teacher if you have concerns.

The Center for Parent and Teen Communication lists ways parents can get involved with schools. Your involvement with school shows your teen/child you are interested and engaged in their learning process. However becoming involved impacts more than just academics: “A school-family partnership does more than enhance academic achievement. When parents and teachers work together, students report higher levels of motivation and self-esteem. Students also  develop key social and emotional learning skills, such as self-awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making.”

There are many things you can do to help your child attend school as often as possible.

• Talk to your child/children about school, what they like about school and ensure they are enrolled in classes, activities, sports, and clubs that are engaging to them.
• Keep track of how many days your child has missed school. Here is a nifty attendance tracking calendar to help you keep track. It is easy to underestimate the amount of absences they have accumulated. Just 2 days a month can cause students to fall behind.
• Stay up to date with immunizations and flu shots to help your child/children stay healthy enough to attend school regularly. Flu and immunization clinics are provided by many schools at back to school nights and around parent teacher conferences.
• Limit time on technology, particularly before bed, to make sure your child is getting adequate rest and sleep to be alert and at school on time.
• Learn if your child feels safe from bullying at school. If your child often complains of stomach aches, headaches, or seems very anxious about school, talk to teachers, counselors, administrators and other parents about how to help your child feel comfortable and excited about going to school.
• Peer pressure can often lead to older students skipping class. Stay on top of your teen’s social contacts and monitor their attendance on Skyward so you are aware of what is happening at school each day. Teens that struggle with making friends often feel isolated and lonely. 
• Always ask for help when the need arises. Teachers, administrators, school staff, other parents and community agencies are available to help you reduce any barriers you may be facing. There are agencies available to help families obtain food, housing assistance and address other issues that are making it difficult to attend school regularly.

Infographic: What You Should Know About Good Attendance.