FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Every day matters when it comes to what students are learning at school, and a student who misses classes falls behind fast, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
One North Carolina math teacher said she can attest to those impacts.
What You Need To Know
- Chronic absenteeism has increased since COVID, according to recent data
- About 31% of North Carolina students were labeled as chronically absent in 2022 compared with 16% in 2019, according to N.C. Department of Public Instruction data
- School districts are revising attendance policies to make sure more kids are staying in the classroom
- One North Carolina math teacher said she combats the effects of chronic absenteeism by engaging families, creating a welcoming classroom and recording lectures
It’s called chronic absenteeism, and state officials say it’s increased drastically since the pandemic. School systems such as Cumberland County Schools are updating their attendance policies to try to keep more kids in the classroom.
“Every day we’re learning a new topic,” Cumberland International Early College High School math teacher Haleigh Baker said. “And so the curriculum is fast-paced. The material is rigorous and challenging.”
Baker has great relationships with her students, but she said chronic absenteeism is affecting her math classroom.
“When a student is out, even just for a day, it not only puts pressure on them, but it puts pressure on me as well as a teacher,” Baker said.
Students are labeled as chronically absent if they’ve missed 10% of school days or more, whether those absences were excused or unexcused. And since the pandemic, that rate has increased.
Data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shows that chronic absenteeism was at 16% in 2019 and jumped up to 31% by 2022. Since then, it has only dropped a bit, and Baker is aware of how it affects her students.
“I see students lacking knowledge, basic knowledge, or just missing a whole lesson and then trying to come in and catch up,” Baker said. “And so it’s very hard, especially in math, when a student has been out and they’re back and they’re like, oh, I don’t know what to do. So I think it’s really important that students are being held accountable for their attendance.”
Cumberland County Schools is doing just that by revising their attendance policy.
“It just appears to us that we needed to do a little more than we’ve been doing to help keep our students in school,” Pam Story, a social work coordinator, said.“It just appears to us that we needed to do a little more than we’ve been doing to help keep our students in school,” Pam Story, a social work coordinator, said.
Story added there wasn’t a consistent policy across the district before. Now they’re trying to aim for consistency and accountability.
The new rules say students have a limit of 10 absences per year for elementary and middle school and 10 per semester for high school. Students will have to bring in a note from a parent or guardian within five days after an absence.
Story explained the rules aren’t meant to be harsh, they just want to support students and help them graduate.
“When they’re missing school, they’re missing much more than just academics,” Story said. “They’re missing socialization. They’re missing all kinds of opportunities, those soft skills that employers are looking for. COVID kept them behind a computer, and we are now wanting them to come and be a part of the community.”
Baker combats absenteeism by engaging families, creating a welcoming classroom and recording lectures.
“Being in school is what matters,” Baker said. “And we as teachers want the best for every single child that sets foot in our classroom. And I’m just thankful to have the opportunity to be able to be a mentor and to promote positive change in these kids’ lives.”
Cumberland County Schools is already implementing the new policy in high schools. It will roll down to elementary and middle schools in the fall.
Leaders say they will still make allowances for extenuating circumstances and chronically ill students. They are looking for feedback from the community about their new policy and encourage families to reach out with questions.
