How’d you do?

Statement  #1 – FALSE 

Students don’t start missing a lot of school until middle or high school.   

One in 10 Kindergarten and first graders miss at least a month of school every year. Bad habits that lead to skipping school can be picked up in the early years – be sure to learn good ones and stick with them.

 

Statement #2 – TRUE 

Missing one day of school per month, even in the younger grades, lowers my child’s likelihood of graduating from high school.  

A student who misses 10% of the school year (around 18 days) is considered “chronically absent.”

Chronically absent students may earn lower test scores and display poor attendance and retention in later grades. Parents and caregivers play an important role in making attendance a priority.

 

Statement #3 – TRUE 

Attendance is a shared responsibility between a student, the parent or caregiver, and the school community.

As your student’s parent or caregiver, you play an important role in making attendance a priority for your child. If they seem anxious about using a distance learning platform or are having trouble adjusting to distance learning, talk to teachers, school counselors, your school PAL, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.

 

Statement #4 – FALSE 

Attendance only matters in the later grades. Pre-K and K are not important for academic success; they are more about play. Since my child is in a younger grade, missing a day of school has no negative impact on their education.  

Every missed day of school is a missed opportunity to learn.  Frequent absences, even in elementary school, can make your child fall behind in reading and math. Students with frequent absences are less likely to graduate high school.  

Source: GRPS Strive for 5 Attendance Toolkit