1. It’s Not About the Alarm Clock –
Addressing Chronic Absence:
Why It Matters, What You Can
Do
Shatawn Brigham
Randy Koekkoek
Carol Paine-McGovern

2. Chronic Absence
 Missing more than 10% of the school year
 Excused and Unexcused
 Nationwide, as many as 7.5 million students miss nearly a
month of school every year. That’s 135 million days of lost time
in the classroom
 Chronic absenteeism is a red alert that students are headed for
academic trouble and eventually for dropping out of high
school.
 Poor attendance isn’t just a problem in high school. It can start
as early as kindergarten.

3. History of Chronic Absence Work
in Kent County
 Welfare to Work
 Out-stationing DHS Staff in Schools
 KSSN Implementation
 KSSN and The SOURCE

4. Kent ISD Chronic Early
Absenteeism Study 2006-2010
 Lack of data on chronic early absenteeism in Kent County
 Understand the scope of absenteeism
 Identify areas of higher concentration
 Learn about related factors such as race/ethnicity and
poverty

5. Data Source
 Kent ISD administrative data
 First through third grades
 2006-2009
 20 school districts

6. Percent of Chronically Absent Students by District
District Size
GRPS 16.3% 4.8% 22,705
Kelloggsvill 10.3% 2.1% 2,430
Kenowa Hil 10.6% 1.3% 3,232
Godwin Ht 9.5% 1.1% 2,537
Godfrey L 8.2% 1.2% 1,916
Wyoming 7.5% 1.1% 5,508
Sparta 6.9% 1.0% 2,764
Kentwood 6.8% 1.0% 9,705
Kent Cty 7.2% 0.5% 4,311
Comstock 6.4% 1.1% 2,612
Cedar Spr 6.3% 0.9% 3,706
Lowell 5.5% 0.7% 3,888
Thornaple 5.4% 0.5% 3,267
Northview 3.9% 0.3% 3,040
Grandvill 3.8% 0.3% 6,404
Byron Ctr 3.5% 0.3% 3,437
Caledonia 3.3% 0.3% 1,527
East GR 2.7% 0.2% 3,160
Forest H 2.2% 0.1% 10,739
Rockford 2.1% 0.2% 8,383
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Percent of Students Chronically Absent
Chronic Extreme Chronic

8. Summary
 Chronic early absenteeism was shown to be related to not
meeting the MEAP proficiency standards.
 High percentages of chronic early absenteeism were also
shown to be in geographic areas with higher population
density and in areas with more people living at or below
poverty level.
 Chronically absent students were 2 times as likely as
students with satisfactory attendance to receive free
lunch, another indicator of living at or below poverty level.

9. Summary Continued
 Chronic absenteeism is not pervasive throughout the
county but there are substantial levels of chronic early
absenteeism in urban areas with higher levels of poverty.
 Although a disproportionately higher percentage of
African-American and Hispanic students were chronically
absent, the highest number of chronically absent students
is white students.

10. KSSN Chronic Absence Data 2005-
2012
50.00%
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
Alger
30.00%
Burton Elementary
25.00% Coit
Harrison Park Elementary
20.00%
MLK - K-8
15.00% Sibley Elementary
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 211-2012

11. Literacy and Attendance

12. Research Findings
 Students Chronically Absent in Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Much Less Likely to Read Proficiently in 3rd Grade.
 Chronic Kindergarten Absence predicted lower 5th grade
performance even if attendance had improved in 3rd grade.
 Poor children are 4 X more likely to be chronically absent in
Kindergarten than their highest income peers.

13. Critical Ingredients for Success in Kent
County
• Superintendent and Principal Leadership
• District and Building Attendance Policy
• Teacher/Staff Buy-In
• Regular Attendance Meetings
• Parent Outreach
• Attendance Incentives
• Interagency Case Management
• Year End Assessment

14. Role of the Community School
Coordinator
• Sharing the research with parents on chronic
absenteeism and its effect on their children especially
in the early grades (Pre-K, K, & 1st).
• Not “letting up” -- good attendance is expected and
that tardiness is not acceptable.
• Following-up on chronic attendance/tardy
students/families.
• Providing families with resources to remove barriers
that are keeping their children from being at school.
• Working with a Tool for Self Assessment

15. Questions?