Post-COVID, public schools worldwide have seen a drastic change in attendance, with a significant rise in absences.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Students experience chronic absenteeism from coast to coast. Twenty states reported that more than 30% of their students missed at least three weeks of school in 2022-23.”
This issue has become more prominent in recent years at Chapman, but this year the administration is putting a stronger focus on attendance.
“As far as the policies, nothing has changed,” Principal Matt Davis said. “It’s been this way for a very long time. What has changed is the emphasis on attendance a little more this year.”
School administrators plan to recognize students with strong attendance records to show them that being present is valuable for their future.
“I’m just trying to do what I can to curb attendance issues and make it a priority,” Davis said.
This year, administrators are emphasizing the long-term impact attendance has on students’ lives.
“We want to make this school a microcosm of what’s going on out there, the real world,” Davis said.
Teachers said they also see the value of consistent attendance.
“I strongly believe that attendance has a huge impact on how successful a class can be,” CATE teacher Berry Burnette said. “When students are consistently present, they stay up to date with lessons, class discussions and important instructions. This makes it easier for teachers to keep the whole class on track, without having to slow down or repeat material for those who are constantly absent.”
Burnette is currently helping with a new mentorship program. In that role, he said, he has seen the negative effects of poor attendance from a different perspective.
“I definitely see things differently,” Burnette said. “I see how both teachers and students can struggle when students aren’t present. Teachers have to slow down or catch students up, which can affect the whole class, and students fall behind more easily when they miss important lessons or activities.”
Students who had frequent absences in elementary and middle school often carry the same trend into high school, but the goal is to break that pattern.
“So often what happens is when they get older they realize, I’m not going to get away with this like I did at middle school,” Attendance Secretary Adrienne Miller said. “Sometimes I think it’s helpful if we show kids what happens when they don’t come to school, what the long-term consequence is to your earning power, to your high school diploma.”
Sophomore Anderson Bryson said he believes students miss school for many reasons.
“Just on days that they feel like they’re busy or they have a lot of work and they can’t do it,” Bryson said.
Not all student absences can be avoided, but many students said they understand the importance of being present when possible.
“It’s important to be in attendance every day because you need to learn,” sophomore Sarah Gaskins said. “If you want to go anywhere in life, you have to take those steps to put yourself out there.”
