Attendance and Achievement: Addressing the Twin Challenges in Education
By: Rebekah Zena
Understanding the Proficiency Gap
In the 2024 Oakland Voice Survey, conducted by myself and other Energy Convertor fellows, we were able to lift the voice of over 300 Oakland High School scholars. From the data collected, it’s clear how chronic absenteeism is a major issue and grade level proficiency is notably low. Many students surveyed voiced that they have not had discussions with their teachers about the current status of their proficiency nor are they familiar with the grade level they perform on in Math and ELA. When asked if a teacher has discussed with them whether or not they were proficient in their current level of math or reading on grade level, 74.5% stated No for Math and 75.4% stated no for Reading. Despite this, they believe they are on track, with 59.2% stating that they think/know they’re proficient in math and 73.9% stating they’re reading on grade level. This reveals a major flaw in our system that is severely hurting students. Year to year, the assessments show a decline in students reaching their expected math or reading levels. You can find details of these results in our upcoming 2024 Oakland Scholar Voice Report.
Enhancing Student-Teacher Communication
A crucial step forward is to prioritize transparent conversations with students and parents about subject mastery during parent-teacher conferences. These meetings should happen every quarter to ensure that students know where they stand and what improvements are needed to get at grade level, not just pass the class.
Tackling Chronic Absenteeism
When it comes to chronic absenteeism, it puts many students at risk of poor academic performance and could potentially lead to students dropping out. The absence means students miss vital class time and lose important information, further pushing them back academically. One effective solution is to improve transit options for students. Negotiating plans with local bus or train systems to provide students with reliable transportation can be quite beneficial. By providing public transit options, students who struggle with getting to and from school now have a resource they can use, which will help decrease absenteeism and improve their academic achievements.
Conclusion
To overcome these educational challenges, both enhanced dialogue between students and teachers can bridge the gap and increase students’ awareness around proficiency. Students need transparency about grades and their current proficiency levels. Through providing public transit assistance, students who struggle with transportation can have a resource they can use, which decreases chronic absenteeism and helps them get back to academic achievement.
