MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WBMA) — The Department of Education announced Monday State Superintendent, Dr. Eric Mackey, and other top education leaders from across the nation have come together in an innovative partnership.
The department said its primary goal is to cut chronic school absence nationwide by 50%, over the next five years.
Alabama is partnering with other communities in other states to take on the issue.
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The department said chronic absenteeism or missing more than 10% of school days for any reason, spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, and rates remain elevated across the nation.
Nationally, 14.7 million students missed enough school to be considered chronically absent during the 2021-22 school year.
The department said chronic absenteeism is experienced by students in all demographic categories, but chronic absence sometimes disproportionately affects children from low-income families and communities of color. It sometimes creates attendance gaps, which exacerbate achievement in local schools.
“As we begin a new school year our administration is proud to announce our commitment to reduce student chronic absenteeism in Alabama by 50% in five years.
Our administration has been working hard to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education, feel a sense of belonging at school and receive the supports they need to attend school regularly and achieve,” said Dr. Mackey.
The department said Alabama had a 17.9% rate of chronic absenteeism based on the latest state report card for 2022-2023. Alabama has been working diligently to address the rates of absenteeism which resulted in Alabama has the lowest percentage of chronic absenteeism in the United States according to recent data.
“While we’ve made progress, there’s still much to be done. Through our collective efforts with families and community partners, we will continue to promote educational environments where every child has the opportunity to succeed. We will work to make chronic absenteeism a challenge of the past and to ensure that every student is present, engaged, and on the path to a bright future,” said Dr. Melissa Shields, Assistant State Superintendent, Office of Student Learning.
“Improving student attendance matters to all of us, not just those with school-age children,” Dr. Mackey said. “When more students graduate, on time, our communities and our economy are stronger. We have more people who are prepared for the workplace, and more engaged in our state’s civic life.
You can view a full list of the states participating in the initiative here.
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Publish date : 2024-09-09 03:40:00
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