Reducing Chronic Absenteeism in Public Schools

Combating absenteeism has become a major goal of public schools across America. Chronic absenteeism affects both the academic success of students and severely impacts the fiscal health of a school.

A new data analysis by the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School shows a dramatic decline in the number of elementary and K-thru-8th grade schools with very high rates of chronic absenteeism among students. The study released in May 2011, Taking Attendance Seriously: How School Absences Undermine Student and School Performance in New York City, showed a 16% reduction in absenteeism. In 2006-07, 31 percent of the study’s  city schools were experiencing critical levels of student absenteeism. By 2009-10, that number was down to 15 percent of the schools.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/20110617attendancerelease.pdf