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Valley of the Sun United Way has developed materials as part of the Supporting Attendance Across Maricopa County project. These materials include helpful assets and resources to support existing outreach initiatives in the community.
Chronic absence is a solvable problem, but schools cannot tackle it alone. Effective strategies to address chronic absenteeism involve schools, communities, and families working collaboratively and using data to target specific interventions.
With this purpose in mind, Read On Arizona convened the Arizona Chronic Absence Task Force in 2023. The task force included leaders from school districts, community partners, state agencies, the Governor's office, legislative staff, and education stakeholders. They met with national experts from Attendance Works to develop the recommendations presented in the downloadable PDF, which are organized under three key priorities: 1) Build awareness and urgency through clear, compelling calls to action; 2) Collect actionable data to identify challenges and drive solutions; and 3) Promote systematic, evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies.
These priorities and recommendations provide a framework for the collaborative efforts required to get students back to school and back on track.
A student is deemed chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the academic calendar, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. This typically breaks down to just two days of missed school per month or 18 or more days in a typical school year.
The Arizona Department of Education's data paints a concerning picture of chronic absenteeism in the state's public schools following the pandemic. In 2022, 32% of students in grades 1-8 were identified as chronically absent - a dramatic surge from just 13% in 2019. While chronic absence decreased in 2023, the latest figures remain double the pre-pandemic rate.
The chronic absence crisis is alarming, but also solvable. Effective, low-cost strategies exist to address this issue, involving collaborative efforts between schools, communities, and families.
Attendance Matters uses consistent messaging to deepen the community's understanding of the importance of attendance. It also provides parents and educators with the information they need for prevention and re-engagement.
