Attendance Matters at ECISD

1. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
2. Chronic absence appears to have doubled by the end of the 2021-22 school year. We estimate that it now affects nearly one out of three students (or 16 million vs. 8 million students in the 2018-19 school year).
3. Absenteeism and its ill effects start early.
4. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back.
5. By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. 
6. Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. Chronic absence is considered two days a month.
7. Students who live in communities with high levels of poverty are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others, often for reasons beyond their control.
8. When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances of graduating.
9. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students.
10. The most important thing to track is not just how many are missing school without an excuse but how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absences that academics are off track.

• Keep track of your child’s attendance. We've created an Attendance Scorecard to make it easy to keep track of your child's attendance. 
• Avoid appointments and travel when school is in session.
• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine (including limiting how late your child can use any electronic devices) and finish homework, and pack backpacks the night before.
• Have a backup plan for getting to school in case something comes up (this could be alternative bus routes, roads, or a plan with family members, neighbors, or other parents).
• Don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or if they have a contagious rash.
• Communicate with the school about how we can work together to support your child’s attendance.

Research indicates that regular school attendance:

• Assists students in getting back on track and regaining lost momentum.
• Enhances student learning and increases the likelihood of graduation.
• Boosts students' self-esteem and improves their perception of school and themselves.
• Supports mental health through social interactions, fostering friendships, building empathy, and forming lasting relationships with peers.
• Facilitates a personalized learning experience that prevents students from falling behind.
• Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that when families and schools build strong relationships, children are more likely to stay in school, graduate, and thrive academically and socially.