BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Bay District Schools are feeling the effects of chronic absenteeism nationwide.
Missing school days can affect not only attendance but also grades and test scores.
Denise Kelley is assistant superintendent for teaching and learning at Bay District Schools and she says the problem is not new.
“Of course, attendance has been a problem for years,” Kelley said. “After COVID, attendance rates went up nationwide. So that rate went up in Bay County, too.”
Lack of attendance affects test results.
This is according to a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Fourth graders’ math scores dropped by 27% and eighth graders’ by 16%. Fourth graders’ reading scores dropped by 45% and eighth graders’ by 36%.
Kelley said a big part of improving test scores is getting students into classrooms.
Since the beginning of the school year, the number of chronically absent students at Bay District Schools has been at 30 percent.
Bay District Schools officials said several schools in the district have developed incentives to encourage children to attend school. Merriam Cherry Street held a raffle with prizes such as bicycles, televisions and playground equipment and used it as an opportunity to offer engaging classes.
According to official figures, the average number of absent students from kindergarten to fifth grade fell from about 45 to 9.
District officials said their goal is to get students in school and they are willing to help parents with whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
“So our schools are trying to show students the barriers and get them into school so they can sit in front of a teacher, learn and participate in class,” Kelley said. “If parents can help us by bringing their kids to school, then we’ll keep going.”
The district has put together a calendar of three-day weekends and holidays so parents know when the best time is to take a vacation so their children don’t miss a day of school. The calendar can be found below:
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