Chronic absenteeism rates are now more than 10 percentage points higher than they were during the 2018-19 school year. Experts say that the resources needed to get students back into the classroom are still not fully in place.
Last year, nearly one-third of Maine’s K-12 students missed at least 18 days of school. Chronic absenteeism almost doubled during the pandemic and hasn’t fully improved yet. While there has been a slight improvement in the past year, there are still significantly more absences compared to the years before the pandemic. This information comes from new state data that the Press Herald obtained upon request.
Education experts attribute this trend to various factors, including transportation problems, mental health issues among young people, increased financial and family responsibilities on students, and a sense of disconnection after years of online learning.
Students who miss at least 18 days of school, which is equivalent to 10% of the school year, are labeled as chronically absent. In the 2018-19 school year, this applied to 16.8% of Maine students. In the 2021-22 school year, following the peak of the pandemic, that figure jumped to 31.5%. Attendance rates saw some improvement in the 2022-23 school year, dropping to 27.3%, according to data from the Maine Department of Education released on November 17th. However, the consistently high rate indicates that addressing this issue will be challenging and will require significant resources.
Maine’s situation reflects a national trend. In the 2018-19 school year, approximately 15% of K-12 students across the nation were chronically absent. In the 2021-22 school year, the most recent year with national data, this number surged to 30%.
Chronic absenteeism has been a problem for a long time, but the pandemic exacerbated it. Now, schools must focus on reengaging students, according to Hedy Chang, the executive director of Attendance Works, a nonprofit dedicated to improving school attendance nationwide. Chang emphasizes the importance of attendance, as it plays a crucial role in realizing the benefits of investments made in schools.
Missing numerous school days can negatively impact academic performance, social-emotional development, and socioeconomic growth. Schools must establish connections with students and their families, help them understand the value of education, connect them with mental health and social services, encourage participation in activities and community engagement, and foster meaningful connections.
Jess Anderson, executive director of Count ME in Maine, an organization working to boost school attendance in the state, states, “Schools open doors to opportunities. If you don’t show up every morning, you can’t access those opportunities.”
Schools have a multifaceted role in students’ lives. Beyond academic education, they are places where students make friends, engage in extracurricular activities, have fun, and learn to build a sense of community with peers and adults. Schools also provide essential services, such as meals and access to mental and medical health support.
Experts warn that chronically absent students are less likely to achieve positive educational outcomes, including early reading skills mastery and high school graduation. High levels of absenteeism also pose a threat to recovery from COVID-19 learning loss and may exacerbate educational inequalities. Economically disadvantaged students, as well as Indigenous, Hispanic, and mixed-race students, were more likely to be chronically absent, according to Maine education data.
In Maine, students in the western and northern parts of the state faced more challenges related to chronic absenteeism than those attending school in southern Maine. Understanding why students are missing school is crucial, and reasons include family and financial obligations, anxiety, illness, lack of transportation, and overall disengagement.
Getting to school has become more difficult and time-consuming due to a national bus driver shortage that worsened during the pandemic. Many school districts in the state had to cancel bus routes due to the shortage, leaving students without alternative transportation options.
Simultaneously, the number of homeless, food-insecure, and economically disadvantaged students has increased, along with rising levels of anxiety and other mental health issues. These significant challenges often push education to the back burner.
Furthermore, the teacher shortage and high turnover rates make it challenging for educators to engage meaningfully with students, providing yet another reason for students not to attend school.
While the Maine Department of Education is encouraged by the decline in chronic absenteeism since the peak of the pandemic, they recognize that there is still room for improvement. Regular school attendance is crucial for student success, according to Marcus Mrowka, a department spokesperson. The Maine Department of Education is committed to supporting educators and schools in creating engaging learning environments and providing students with multiple pathways to pursue their passions.
Reimagined By Aibo T.
DISCLAIMER: Author is under many pen names. This article was rewritten based on these links: Maine students are missing more school days than before the pandemic (pressherald.com)
