What Will You Do for September Attendance Awareness Month?
Research is clear that attendance is vital to academic success — students can’t learn if they aren’t engaged in instruction. Research demonstrates these long-term impacts, even in the early grades.
Chronically absent kindergarteners and first graders are less likely to be reading at grade level by 3rd grade. By middle school, it is a critical warning sign that students are more likely to fail key classes and not to graduate from high school.
Chronic absence is when a student misses 10 percent or more of their school days — just 2 days a month or 18 days in a year — for any reason, excused or unexcused. Our state data show that 15 percent of students in Washington state were chronically absent in the 2016–17. Our state now reports Regular Attendance, which is the inverse of chronic absence. This means 85 percent of students were Regular Attenders. Washington State has one of the highest chronic absence rates in the nation.
OSPI is participating in September’s Attendance Awareness Month; providing posters and other materials, social media messaging, partnering with other state agencies, such as DSHS, as well as the Seattle Sounders and Seahawks. In both research and practice, it’s clear that schools who invest in awareness activities, in partnership with parents and the community, improve their attendance. This is a critical place to start the work.
We want you to join us in September Attendance Awareness Month and share your successes! Here’s how you can participate:
Superintendent Call to Action
OSPI, Attendance Works, and other national partners are calling on Superintendents across the country to lead the effort to improve attendance. Washington State had 47 districts sign up for the Call to Action in 2017. Our goal this year is 200 districts!
- Sign up here, and find tips for getting started.
Free Attendance Awareness Materials
- Posters, buttons, magnets, popsockets, and more! Order online here. Postage is paid.
Social Media Campaign
- Sign up for the Attendance Newsletter to receive weekly emails throughout September that will contain 1) sample social media posts (just plug and play!) and 2) resource highlights.
2018 September Attendance Competition
- Participating schools will commit to the following 3 actions:
- Run an Attendance Awareness Campaign that includes one new community partnership.
- Leadership Team sets a goal and priority around attendance.
- Identify last year’s chronically absent students and put a plan in place to support them.
- Prizes may include: a visit from a Seahawks or Sounders player or from Superintendent Reykdal. OSPI will promote your work on social media and on the website and provide an award of recognition.
