Every day I get the New York Times newsletter “The Morning,” where journalists guide readers through things happening in the world and help them make sense of it. On the morning of March 29, 2024, I came upon an article entitled “School absences have ‘exploded’.”
The Times clarified: “Before the pandemic, about 15 percent of U.S. students were chronically absent, which typically means missing 18 days of the school year, for any reason. By the 2021-22 school year, that number had skyrocketed to 28 percent of students. Last school year, the most recent for which national estimates are available, it held stubbornly at 26 percent” [bold and underline added].
I found these numbers concerning; thus, the article made me wonder what Hopkinton’s K-12 absenteeism rates look like. Accordingly, I went to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website to retrieve our data.
Fortunately, our data looks better than the numbers across the United States, but we do have a chronic absenteeism rate of 12 percent, meaning that 12 percent of our 4,200+ students were absent 18 or more days. That means over 500 students in our schools were out of school in the 2022-2023 school year in excess of 18 days.
The New York Times reports that “absenteeism has increased across demographic groups…. Students are missing more school in districts rich and poor, big and small.”
Here in Massachusetts our General Laws give students seven excused days before the schools must react in some way. Some specific reasons for absenteeism do result in “excused” absences in Hopkinton, per School Committee Policy JH, which states:
In addition to the allowable “seven day sessions or fourteen half day sessions of reported absences in any period of six months,” students may be excused from attending school or being tardy for the following reasons:
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Chronic or Long-term Illness or quarantine
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Bereavement
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Weather so inclement as to endanger the child’s health and safety
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Observance of religious holidays in accordance with the family’s religious beliefs
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Other exceptional reasons with previous approval of the school’s Principal. As written in each school’s handbook, parents shall provide an explanation for a child’s absence or tardiness, either in writing or via telephone to the school nurse.
At times, we’ve heard from parents whose kids have contracted the flu and then strep, resulting in more than seven days out of school. These same children may have been out of school for bellyaches or runny noses or general malaise. Our school nurses are very careful when they look at students’ reasons for absenteeism, meaning back-to-back episodes of the flu and strep, which of course would be exceedingly rare, would likely be excused under the final bullet in the policy: “Other exceptional reasons.”
So, what happens when a student exceeds seven absences in a six-month period? After seven absences in a six month period, families get a letter from our assistant principals explaining that their children have been out of school in excess of what Massachusetts General Law G.L. c. 76, §2 allows. In essence, we are required to send those letters in accordance with the law, which reads:
Section 2. Every person in control of a child described in section one shall cause him to attend school as therein required, and, if he fails so to do for seven day sessions or fourteen half day sessions within any period of six months, he shall, on complaint by a supervisor of attendance, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.
What is super curious (at least to me it’s curious) is that the state allows school districts to fine a family $20 for excessive absenteeism. The Hopkinton Public Schools do not want to fine anyone nor have we. Ever. But, perhaps the fine serves as an illustration of the value--however antiquated the fee may be--that the state has historically put on school attendance.
Continuing along the lines of stuff we don’t want to do, our assistant principals are not fans of sending these absenteeism letters to families. Each month, the assistant principals spend at least one full work day (if not more) preparing those letters. For example, Elmwood Assistant Principal Michelle Tynan has sent 213 absentee attendance letters to families this year (meaning 213 of the students at Elmwood have missed seven (7) days or more), and Mrs. Tynan has sent 89 letters expressing excessive tardiness to families. Mrs. Lamoreaux, at Hopkins, has sent 218 letters for absenteeism and 75 letters for tardiness. These assistant principals sometimes call families to help them work on tardiness, especially when it begins to impact children’s abilities to learn.
Part of Hopkinton’s absenteeism numbers also derive from long-term travel. Families get in touch with our building principals to report they will be traveling for both long- and short-term periods of time. To that end, families should be aware that School Committee Policy JH also states that “the school district will not be responsible for curriculum, instruction, or assessments missed during this unexcused absence.” Further, at the High School level, excessive absenteeism can result in loss of credit.
Why all the focus on attendance? According to former Commissioner of Education Jeffrey Riley, “Research supports the connection between regular attendance and a student’s personal, social, and emotional wellness, and their academic success. When students are not present in school, they miss out on opportunities for social development and are often not able to make adequate academic progress; they may disengage from learning as they get further off-track and may even drop out of school.” National research shows that chronic absenteeism erodes the academic, social skills, and mental wellness needed to succeed in school. Students’ attendance rates are also significantly related to several competency areas on the Holistic Student Assessment. The HPS School Committee policy states, “The District believes it essential that students establish consistent attendance behaviors in the early years to ensure continuity of attendance throughout a child’s years in the Hopkinton Public Schools.” In essence, a host of research indicates that when children frequently miss school in their elementary years it can lead to school phobia, school avoidance, and chronic absenteeism by the teenage years. If kids are in school, we have counseling staff--at every grade level--who work on helping children overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their access to curriculum. Children fare well when they feel connected to their teachers and peers.
Take a look at what has happened across the country since the onset of the Pandemic:
Everything I read tells me that attitudes toward school attendance--broadly--have changed since the onset of the pandemic, making school seem a little more “optional” in the minds of parents and students across the nation. Now please know that I am not advocating for people to come to school when they are not well, but I am wondering about our collective willingness to reprioritize school attendance. As we settle back into a post-pandemic rhythm, I’m hoping to see Hopkinton’s absenteeism rates fall.
I’ve written a lot about the downsides of the pandemic and attendance, but there are a couple of positives. Our secondary students, especially the kids at the High School, have learned to navigate online instruction, frequently using Schoology as a means of communication between themselves and their teachers. We used to hope that kids would take at least one online course before they graduated, just because it would be a good experience for them. Now, our kids can handle online instruction just because of the tools we use--even as we are back to school in-person, full-time.
Thank goodness.
Before closing I want to go back to the letters. People wonder why they receive letters. They do because the law says we have to send them. And, the law always trumps school committee policy.
Families, please know that if you receive an attendance letter and you need any support whatsoever, reach out. Building administrators are always happy to meet with families, and our school social worker and school counselors are ready and willing to help. Our goal is never to disenfranchise families but rather to bring them and their students into the fold. Learning and healthy childhood development are shaped by consistent and supportive relationships, responsive communications, and the modeling of healthy behaviors. Let us provide those services to you.
