This fall, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) released the 2022 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) reports and its 2022-2023 lists of schools who are identified for comprehensive and targeted support and improvement, which is based on students’ mastery of academic skills that are tested by the Georgia Milestones Assessment System and high school graduation rates.
Importance of regular school attendance
In reviewing available data from the state and school district, school attendance is an area of concern for Bulloch County Schools.
In order for students to fully benefit from the interventions that have been put in place and to fully overcome the learning loss that was incurred from the pandemic, it is imperative that families make regular school attendance a priority for their children.
During the 2021-2022 school year, 47.6% of students (5,595 students) missed 10 or more days of instruction for reasons other than COVID-related absences. Of those 5,595 students, 2,164 (18.4% of total students) missed between 18 and 36 days of instruction and 680 students (5.7% of total students) missed 36 or more days of instruction.
Research shows that missing 10% of the school year, or about 18 days, negatively affects a child’s academic performance. This is just two days a month, and it’s known as chronic absenteeism.
Attendance Support Teams
Each school has an attendance support team who focuses on prevention and early intervention of attendance problems. The team may include school administrators, counselors, social workers, and other school staff.
Preventative strategies may include efforts to provide a safe and positive environment, relevant and engaging learning experiences, and school activities that develop a sense of connection. In addition to these strategies, the attendance support team may also provide communication about attendance to the parent in the form of telephone calls, letters, home visits, and electronic mail. The purpose of this communication is to inform parents that their child could be at risk for decreased school performance.
For more information, visit the Bulloch County Schools website.
