Chronic Absenteeism in APS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has everything to do w/Covid. Shutting down the schools created a new mind set that didn't allowed the perception that going to school wasn't that important. Just another fallout I suppose...maybe it'll get back on track, but it'll take some time for sure...

Yeah, this trend isn’t surprising at all. For one thing, parents watching virtual school saw how much time was wasted (& school was only 4 days a week for an entire school year).

Second, schools were completely closed (not even virtual school happening) for months in spring of 2020, and parents were basically told it was no big deal re: learning… they’d make up for the lost instruction during the next school year (which, predictably, was total BS). So yes, parents & kids got the idea that attending school isn’t all that important for several reasons. Plus what PPs said: adults don’t want to go back to the office, either.

Right, but the lesson of the pandemic is the in-person school DOES matter. The test scores, the behavior and mental health issues, the widening equity gap... it's all proof. I guess I'm just flummoxed that people don't send their kids to school. The damage to the kids not being sent is heartbreaking, as is the damage being done to the remaining kids, who have to deal with the disruption and lack of forward motion in learning.

Yes, the lesson of the pandemic is that in-person school matters a lot, as evidenced by all of these outcomes. The message of COVID sent by our leadership is that school is not that big a deal and lost learning can be made up easily down the line.

Yes, this is a huge problem. When APS said coming to school didn't matter, parents believed them. I can understand a parent thinking oh well, they didn't make kids go to school for almost 2 years so I guess my kid doesn't really need to be there, they can just read the assignment on canvas. It's the same thing.

if APS wants to fix the issue, they need to come out and admit the mistake of keeping schools closed, apologize and begin a campaign to get kids back to school.

Keep holding your breath and stomping your feet for this “apology” that you’ve been blathering on about for years, but just know that it is NOT going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the lesson of the pandemic is that in-person school matters a lot, as evidenced by all of these outcomes. The message of COVID sent by our leadership is that school is not that big a deal and lost learning can be made up easily down the line.



Yes, this is a huge problem. When APS said coming to school didn't matter, parents believed them. I can understand a parent thinking oh well, they didn't make kids go to school for almost 2 years so I guess my kid doesn't really need to be there, they can just read the assignment on canvas. It's the same thing.

if APS wants to fix the issue, they need to come out and admit the mistake of keeping schools closed, apologize and begin a campaign to get kids back to school.

Oh, c'mon. It's time to stop blaming everything on the schools and the pandemic. Look at the numbers--the SA schools are experiencing MUCH higher absentee numbers than NA schools. That would indicate that something else is wrong, correct? If it was just the pandemic causing this, the numbers would be low across the board.

The problem has more to do with SES. There needs to be more outreach to immigrant and low-income families so school expectations are understood--that education is critical to student futures and that parents understand the direct link between grades and absenteeism. In some cases, students are not attending school because they are expected to care for younger siblings or other family members. Perhaps the bloated equity office should take this on--more home visits, etc. to provide information to families in their home languages. The schools themselves are overwhelmed, having only one social worker and a limited number of counselors to do this work.

No it is the pandemic unless you can find another reason for 50%-100% jumps in absenteeism across the board between 2019 and 2023. Just because SA schools are experiencing it more doesn't mean the pandemic has nothing to do with it.

No, sorry. It’s nearly 2024. The Blame Everything On The Pandemic and Distance Learning card has expired. Time to find your next excuse.

DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would think one reason for the additional absences is that people are more aware that they should stay home (or keep their kids home) when they are stick, like until 24 hours after you vomited, had diarrhea, or started antibiotics, etc.

Yes plus there is a LOT of illness going around. There's a lot of Covid and a lot of other illnesses. Covid has been demonstrated to impact immunity so kids get sick more after getting it. It has also been demonstrated to cause a whole host of chronic health conditions that also cause more absences.

This is staring us in the fact but it's all political and there are so many Covid deniers that i'm sure i'll be flamed for even raising this.

And before the pandemic you would have said all those parents couldn't wait to drop their kids off at school even though there is some much illness going around and their kids has symptoms. You would have said all those parents want is free babysitting or something similar.

No one is denying Covid. But you are denying the reality that illness has nothing to do with the chronic absenteeism issue in APS.

Goodness! In the same breath you claim that you're not a Covid denier but also claim illness has nothing to do with chronic absenteeism. Go look up the Covid levels (we're in a surge) and the long term health impacts of Covid. Or stick your head back in the sand and enjoy denialism.

oh shut up

No. Sorry the truth hurts you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can buy this argument for teens. But many of the schools at the top of the list for absenteeism are elementary schools. This is a failure of parents to do the bare minimum to ensure that their children get an education. The numbers show that nearly 30% of economically disadvantaged kids in APS are chronically absent, while only 7.5% of white kids are. How on earth is the achievement gap suppose to be closed with numbers like this? No homework or grading policy will ever be able to make up the difference.

I teach elementary school. What's changed since prepandemic in my school at least is that kids are sick more often now. It's only early October and we've already had two waves of illness run through our school (low income school if it matters). Parents are not keeping their kids home for no reason - they are sick, they get sent to school, then they have a fever or feel bad or throw up and parents come pick them up. I've had many students out already 5-6 days which is more than 10% of the number of days we've been in school.

Yes, thank you. Since getting Covid one of my kids has been sick ALL the time (didn't seem to impact the other one).

It's COVID, idiots. And it's the lack of any mitigation at all in schools these days. Masks are a dirty word, HVAC systems are a joke and does anyone even turn on those air cleaners? Tons of kids come to school sicks, teachers too and spread their germs.

If you want to stop absenteesm, make schools healthier places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can buy this argument for teens. But many of the schools at the top of the list for absenteeism are elementary schools. This is a failure of parents to do the bare minimum to ensure that their children get an education. The numbers show that nearly 30% of economically disadvantaged kids in APS are chronically absent, while only 7.5% of white kids are. How on earth is the achievement gap suppose to be closed with numbers like this? No homework or grading policy will ever be able to make up the difference.

I teach elementary school. What's changed since prepandemic in my school at least is that kids are sick more often now. It's only early October and we've already had two waves of illness run through our school (low income school if it matters). Parents are not keeping their kids home for no reason - they are sick, they get sent to school, then they have a fever or feel bad or throw up and parents come pick them up. I've had many students out already 5-6 days which is more than 10% of the number of days we've been in school.

Yes, thank you. Since getting Covid one of my kids has been sick ALL the time (didn't seem to impact the other one).

It's COVID, idiots. And it's the lack of any mitigation at all in schools these days. Masks are a dirty word, HVAC systems are a joke and does anyone even turn on those air cleaners? Tons of kids come to school sicks, teachers too and spread their germs.

If you want to stop absenteesm, make schools healthier places.

Try again. This is not the cause of CHRONIC absenteeism. Kids aren’t missing 18+ days of schools because people of COVID. My kids get sick 2-3 times a year and maybe miss 3-6 days in total depending on their symptoms and we’re pretty cautious about not sending them to school sick. Missing 3-6 days per school year because of germs does not meet the definition of chronically absent.

[Anonymous]

Isn't "chronic absenteeism" related to UNexcused absences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't "chronic absenteeism" related to UNexcused absences?

That’s what I had thought, too, but apparently not. It’s missing school for ANY reason:

“Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.”

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/programs-services/student-services/attendance-school-engagement#:~:text=Chronic%20absenteeism%20is%20defined%20as,%2C%20unexcused%20absences%2C%20and%20suspensions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't "chronic absenteeism" related to UNexcused absences?

That’s what I had thought, too, but apparently not. It’s missing school for ANY reason:

“Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.”

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/programs-services/student-services/attendance-school-engagement#:~:text=Chronic%20absenteeism%20is%20defined%20as,%2C%20unexcused%20absences%2C%20and%20suspensions.

Ah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't "chronic absenteeism" related to UNexcused absences?

That’s what I had thought, too, but apparently not. It’s missing school for ANY reason:

“Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.”

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/programs-services/student-services/attendance-school-engagement#:~:text=Chronic%20absenteeism%20is%20defined%20as,%2C%20unexcused%20absences%2C%20and%20suspensions.

Ah.

Which means kids with chronic illness, those who take a lot of vacations, those who are suspended, and those whose parents just don’t send them to school for no good reason are all included. But these seem like several different problems in need of different solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can buy this argument for teens. But many of the schools at the top of the list for absenteeism are elementary schools. This is a failure of parents to do the bare minimum to ensure that their children get an education. The numbers show that nearly 30% of economically disadvantaged kids in APS are chronically absent, while only 7.5% of white kids are. How on earth is the achievement gap suppose to be closed with numbers like this? No homework or grading policy will ever be able to make up the difference.

I teach elementary school. What's changed since prepandemic in my school at least is that kids are sick more often now. It's only early October and we've already had two waves of illness run through our school (low income school if it matters). Parents are not keeping their kids home for no reason - they are sick, they get sent to school, then they have a fever or feel bad or throw up and parents come pick them up. I've had many students out already 5-6 days which is more than 10% of the number of days we've been in school.

Yes, thank you. Since getting Covid one of my kids has been sick ALL the time (didn't seem to impact the other one).

It's COVID, idiots. And it's the lack of any mitigation at all in schools these days. Masks are a dirty word, HVAC systems are a joke and does anyone even turn on those air cleaners? Tons of kids come to school sicks, teachers too and spread their germs.

If you want to stop absenteesm, make schools healthier places.

Try again. This is not the cause of CHRONIC absenteeism. Kids aren’t missing 18+ days of schools because people of COVID. My kids get sick 2-3 times a year and maybe miss 3-6 days in total depending on their symptoms and we’re pretty cautious about not sending them to school sick. Missing 3-6 days per school year because of germs does not meet the definition of chronically absent.

Please try to keep up. It's not just Covid directly, it's also what Covid does to kids' immune systems. So it's Covid and it's all the sicknesses they get once Covid trashes their immune system. This is where we are right now with one of my kids who just missed an entire week of school with not Covid. But go ahead and deny it, as you will, that's what Covid deniers do! Or make up some shit blaming the shutdowns 3 years ago.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t matter that it’s untrue, but it’s also Covid in the sense that APS’ response to the pandemic told families that school doesn’t matter.

“Don’t worry, missing a year+ doesn’t matter. Your child will catch up.”

“There’s no such thing as learning loss.”

The school system doesn’t need to apologize, but it needs to send a clear message: Kids are in crisis and there’s A LOT of catching up to do.

It should be all hands on board. Even Syphax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter that it’s untrue, but it’s also Covid in the sense that APS’ response to the pandemic told families that school doesn’t matter.

“Don’t worry, missing a year+ doesn’t matter. Your child will catch up.”

“There’s no such thing as learning loss.”

The school system doesn’t need to apologize, but it needs to send a clear message: Kids are in crisis and there’s A LOT of catching up to do.

It should be all hands on board. Even Syphax.

I guess you're one of those people who thought teachers were not working or teaching during the pandemic. We didn't miss a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter that it’s untrue, but it’s also Covid in the sense that APS’ response to the pandemic told families that school doesn’t matter.

“Don’t worry, missing a year+ doesn’t matter. Your child will catch up.”

“There’s no such thing as learning loss.”

The school system doesn’t need to apologize, but it needs to send a clear message: Kids are in crisis and there’s A LOT of catching up to do.

It should be all hands on board. Even Syphax.

I guess you're one of those people who thought teachers were not working or teaching during the pandemic. We didn't miss a year.

Do you really think 4 days/week virtual covered as much material as a normal school year? Of course teachers were working, but it’s ridiculous to pretend that nothing was missed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can buy this argument for teens. But many of the schools at the top of the list for absenteeism are elementary schools. This is a failure of parents to do the bare minimum to ensure that their children get an education. The numbers show that nearly 30% of economically disadvantaged kids in APS are chronically absent, while only 7.5% of white kids are. How on earth is the achievement gap suppose to be closed with numbers like this? No homework or grading policy will ever be able to make up the difference.

I teach elementary school. What's changed since prepandemic in my school at least is that kids are sick more often now. It's only early October and we've already had two waves of illness run through our school (low income school if it matters). Parents are not keeping their kids home for no reason - they are sick, they get sent to school, then they have a fever or feel bad or throw up and parents come pick them up. I've had many students out already 5-6 days which is more than 10% of the number of days we've been in school.

Yes, thank you. Since getting Covid one of my kids has been sick ALL the time (didn't seem to impact the other one).

It's COVID, idiots. And it's the lack of any mitigation at all in schools these days. Masks are a dirty word, HVAC systems are a joke and does anyone even turn on those air cleaners? Tons of kids come to school sicks, teachers too and spread their germs.

If you want to stop absenteesm, make schools healthier places.

Try again. This is not the cause of CHRONIC absenteeism. Kids aren’t missing 18+ days of schools because people of COVID. My kids get sick 2-3 times a year and maybe miss 3-6 days in total depending on their symptoms and we’re pretty cautious about not sending them to school sick. Missing 3-6 days per school year because of germs does not meet the definition of chronically absent.

Please try to keep up. It's not just Covid directly, it's also what Covid does to kids' immune systems. So it's Covid and it's all the sicknesses they get once Covid trashes their immune system. This is where we are right now with one of my kids who just missed an entire week of school with not Covid. But go ahead and deny it, as you will, that's what Covid deniers do! Or make up some shit blaming the shutdowns 3 years ago.

Sounds like your kid should be in a long covid study then because what you’re describing is not common for most kids. Most kids are not missing anywhere near days of school because of illness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can buy this argument for teens. But many of the schools at the top of the list for absenteeism are elementary schools. This is a failure of parents to do the bare minimum to ensure that their children get an education. The numbers show that nearly 30% of economically disadvantaged kids in APS are chronically absent, while only 7.5% of white kids are. How on earth is the achievement gap suppose to be closed with numbers like this? No homework or grading policy will ever be able to make up the difference.

I teach elementary school. What's changed since prepandemic in my school at least is that kids are sick more often now. It's only early October and we've already had two waves of illness run through our school (low income school if it matters). Parents are not keeping their kids home for no reason - they are sick, they get sent to school, then they have a fever or feel bad or throw up and parents come pick them up. I've had many students out already 5-6 days which is more than 10% of the number of days we've been in school.

Yes, thank you. Since getting Covid one of my kids has been sick ALL the time (didn't seem to impact the other one).

It's COVID, idiots. And it's the lack of any mitigation at all in schools these days. Masks are a dirty word, HVAC systems are a joke and does anyone even turn on those air cleaners? Tons of kids come to school sicks, teachers too and spread their germs.

If you want to stop absenteesm, make schools healthier places.

Try again. This is not the cause of CHRONIC absenteeism. Kids aren’t missing 18+ days of schools because people of COVID. My kids get sick 2-3 times a year and maybe miss 3-6 days in total depending on their symptoms and we’re pretty cautious about not sending them to school sick. Missing 3-6 days per school year because of germs does not meet the definition of chronically absent.

Please try to keep up. It's not just Covid directly, it's also what Covid does to kids' immune systems. So it's Covid and it's all the sicknesses they get once Covid trashes their immune system. This is where we are right now with one of my kids who just missed an entire week of school with not Covid. But go ahead and deny it, as you will, that's what Covid deniers do! Or make up some shit blaming the shutdowns 3 years ago.

Sounds like your kid should be in a long covid study then because what you’re describing is not common for most kids. Most kids are not missing anywhere near days of school because of illness.

+1. This is not normal. My kid with a chronic health condition and compromised immune system doesn't even miss 18 days of school. You should sign your kid up for scientific studies.