As part of the 漏 2024 外网天堂 project "Accounted For," chronic student absenteeism was the focus of St. Louis on the Air today. When students miss more than 10 percent of a given year of school, they become chronically absent. Millions of kids across America fall into this category, and it is far too often a predictor of future failure on several levels.
At the top of the hour, education reporter Tim Lloyd introduced the topic and explained the purpose of the "Accounted For" project. For more on the research and effects of chronic absenteeism, in the series.
鈥淭he real purpose of the project is to look at two simple questions that often have complicated inputs and outputs, which are: why do so many kids miss so much school, and then, of course, what can be done about it?鈥� Lloyd said.
To start finding these answers, host Don Marsh spoke with research scientist Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins University鈥檚 School of Education, Principal Jamie Jordan of University City鈥檚 Brittany Woods Middle School and Ruby Jones of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.
, Balfanz has found that most chronically absent students fall into three categories:
- Students who 肠补苍鈥檛 come due to outside problems or responsibilities.
- Students who won鈥檛 come because they are being bullied or feel unsafe at school.
- Students who don鈥檛 come because they don鈥檛 think anyone notices or cares that they miss school.
Jordan and Jones appreciated those distinctions because they see them as a way of beginning to identify the unique reasons each child develops a pattern of missing school. Once the reasons are identified, then solutions can begin to be found.
鈥淎s we look at our students and try and figure out what鈥檚 really happening, there isn鈥檛 one quick fix,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not one reason why kids aren鈥檛 coming to school. It鈥檚 a variety of different reasons, and we really have to have the resources and the right folks at the table to address each student individually.鈥�
Jones supervises the program at Big Brother Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, which stands for Attend school, Behave, and experience Classroom success. The program partners with schools to help their Littles achieve those three goals.
鈥淪chool principals have so much going on, and they鈥檙e charged to really improve and help with the success of so many kids, I think it鈥檚 helpful to them when an agency comes in and says hey, I can take these kids. I can focus on the kids whom I鈥檓 serving 鈥� that just really improves the overall morale at the school, and the attendance of all of the kids, the behavior of all of the kids,鈥� Jones said.
As principal of Brittany Woods Middle School in University City, Jamie Jordan agrees that engaging the help of community agencies is vital. In 2013 she was named the Principal of the Year by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. Her school has multiple partnerships with community agencies, including a relationship with Washington University, the Wyman Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e seen recently in the difference of education in the last ten years is really the role of social workers in the school and how social workers can help tie in to these community relationships,鈥� Jordan said.
鈥淩uby said it right that most educators and principals and administrators all come in with a background of educating kids and when we really start breaking down chronic absenteeism we have to look at the social issues why, and so that support of the community resources and social workers into the school structure is really important,鈥� she added.
In his research in New York City schools, Balfanz found that having mentors dedicated to encouraging students to attend school made a significant difference in test scores, passing rates and dropout rates.
鈥淗aving someone that鈥檚 working with a subset of kids on a regular basis, monitoring their attendance, calling them if they鈥檙e not there saying what can we do to get you in by 10, by 11, we miss you, we want you here, and then trying to figure out what鈥檚 behind it and then being able to, if it is a serious issue, be able to refer them to the appropriate people who can help, can make a real difference,鈥� Balfanz said.
Brittany Woods has a system in place similar to what Balfanz described, Jordan said, with people analyzing data and matching students with mentors.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 the saddest part is for those kids that don鈥檛 come, that they feel like they鈥檙e not noticed if they鈥檙e not there, because those are the ones that we really need to reach out for and make sure that they鈥檙e trackable,鈥� Jordan said.
In addition to talking about the need for community partnerships and the ability to connect with social workers, the guests also discussed the ripple effect of behavior problems and classroom disruptions caused by the sporadic attendance of students. When students miss a lot of school, they have difficulty following lessons and are more likely to get frustrated and act out.
The guests also fielded questions about the role poverty plays in chronic absenteeism, as well as the impact homelessness and being in the foster care system can have.
The conversation on St. Louis on the Air today introduced the issue and some of the possible solutions, but there is much more discussion to be had. What reasons do you see St. Louis area kids missing school? What do you think can be done to get all kids in school?
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St. Louis on the Air provides discussion about issues and concerns facing the St. Louis area. The show is produced by and and hosted by veteran journalist .
