Attendance Resources
The first step to success is showing up!
Coming to school every day helps your child learn, grow, and stay connected with their teachers and classmates. Missing just 10% of the school year (about 18 days) is considered chronic absenteeism and can make it harder for students to keep up with learning, build friendships, and stay on track for graduation. Whether absences are excused or unexcused, missing school can lead to learning gaps, lower academic achievement, and social and emotional challenges.
Below are helpful resources to build healthy habits that encourage good school attendance. If your child is having difficulty attending school, please reach out to your child's school. We are here to partner with you to identify barriers, provide support, and connect your family with helpful resources so your child can attend school regularly and stay on the path to a bright future.
Below are resources to help you prepare your child for school and encourage regular, on-time attendance.
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These tips from Attendance Works can help you prepare your child and get them excited for their first day of school: Get ready for one of the biggest adventures of your child’s life!
Research has shown that preschoolers who miss 10 percent or more of the school year (or just 2 days per month), excused or unexcused absences—enter kindergarten with lower levels of school readiness. If chronic absenteeism persists from preschool into kindergarten, 1st grade, etc., this has proven to be an early warning sign that children will be off track for reading proficiency by the end of 3rd grade, which is a critical time for children’s success in school. Here are tips to help families build healthy habits to support regular school attendance: Building Good Attendance Habits in Pre-School and Kindergarten
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Build Good Attendance Habits Early
TIPS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS:
- Younger students need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep.
- Lay out clothes and backpacks the night before school.
- Set regular bedtime and morning routines.
- Avoid extended vacations that require your children to miss school.
- Whenever possible, work with doctors to schedule appointments outside of school hours.
- Get to know your child's administrators, teachers, counselors and school social workers. These school professionals can help you and your children stay on track throughout the school year and tackle any barriers to regular, on time attendance.
- When your student is very ill, take the necessary steps, including speaking with the school nurse or your doctor about appropriate steps to take to get him/her feeling better and back in school.
- Let your student know there is no negotiating when it comes to regular, on time attendance.
- Whether your child is five or fifteen, let him/her know that attendance matters to you, stay involved in your student's education, from pre-school through 12th grade.
Attendance In Kindergarten and Beyond…
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause a child to fall behind
- Missing 10% (or 18 days in a 180 day school year) can make it harder for a child to learn to read
- Students can fall behind even if they miss one or two days every other week
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Keeping your middle and high school student on track.
HEALTHY HABITS THAT SUPPORT GOOD ATTENDANCE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
- Older students still need between 8 1/2 and 9 1/2 hours of sleep.
- Help them set homework and bedtime routines.
- When the lights go out, make sure video games, cell phones and other devices, are 'out' too!
and......
- Avoid extended vacations that require your children to miss school.
- Whenever possible, work with doctors to schedule appointments outside of school hours.
- Get to know your child's administrators, teachers, counselors and school social workers. These school professionals can help you and your children stay on track throughout the school year and tackle any barriers to regular, on time attendance.
- When your student is very ill, take the necessary steps, including speaking with the school nurse or your doctor about appropriate steps to take to get him/her feeling better and back in school.
- Let your student know there is no negotiating when it comes to regular, on time attendance.
- Whether your child is five or fifteen, let him/her know that attendance matters to you, stay involved in your student's education, from pre-school through 12th grade.
Keep Your Child on Track - Middle & High School
- Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other serious issues
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of the signs that a student may drop out of high school.
- By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
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TIPS FOR KEEPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION
School attendance is critical in high school for students to stay on track for graduation. Attendance is taken in each class daily and too many absences can cause a student to fall behind in credits needed to graduate.
Keeping your middle and high school student on track
- Older students still need between 8 1/2 and 9 1/2 hours of sleep
- Help them set homework and bedtime routines.
- When the lights go out, make sure video games, cell phones and other devices, are 'out' too!
and......
- Avoid extended vacations that require your children to miss school.
- Whenever possible, work with doctors to schedule appointments outside of school hours.
- Get to know your child's administrators, teachers, counselors and school social workers. These school professionals can help you and your children stay on track throughout the school year and tackle any barriers to regular, on time attendance.
- When your student is very ill, take the necessary steps, including speaking with the school nurse or your doctor about appropriate steps to take to get him/her feeling better and back in school.
- Let your student know there is no negotiating when it comes to regular, on time attendance.
- Whether your child is five or fifteen, let him/her know that attendance matters to you, stay involved in your student's education, from pre-school through 12th grade.
Keep Your Child on Track - Middle & High School
- Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other serious issues
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of the signs that a student may drop out of high school.
- By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
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It is normal for children to feel worried or anxious about school from time to time. They may be nervous about starting a new school year, learning new things, being away from their caregivers, or navigating friendships and other social situations.
Some children may want to avoid school when they feel anxious, but facing these challenges with support helps build resilience, confidence, and the skills they need to overcome future obstacles.
If your child is struggling with school-related anxiety, reach out to your school's social worker, counselor, or psychologist for support.
Additional resources for students and families are provided below.
Attendance Works – “Is your child missing school due to Anxiety?”
School Avoidance Alliance – School Avoidance 101
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Illness, injury and chornic health conditions can sometimes interfere with school attendance but we want to help keep your child on track with their education.
Practicing health eating, sleeping, excercise and hygiene routines, as well as regular medical check-ups, can help keep students healthy and ready for school. Did you know that your school nurse can help support health needs at school including asthma, diabetes, allergies and more?! If your child has ongoing medical needs, consult with the school nurse and your primary care physician to develop a support plan for school.
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Schools must follow guidance from the Cabarrus County School Board Policy 4400 and theNorth Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law to respond to student absences. Click here for a summary of the CCS policy and NC attenance law.