Schools Combatting Chronic Absenteeism

REBECCA ZENG
News Editor

A recent collaboration study by Healthy Schools Campaign and Attendance Works revealed that chronic absenteeism, or being absent for 10 or more percent of the school year, may be the reason for the growing achievement gaps between socioeconomic classes across the U.S., according to iSchoolGuide. A 2012 study stated that poor attendance in early years of schooling was a warning that a student may be more likely to drop out of high school, according to the Washington Post.

During the 2014-15 school year, AHS implemented a new policy for detentions in an attempt to reduce absences and tardies. According to the attendance records from Semester 2 in 2015, the tardy policy has proved to be effective as tardy rates have dropped by 53 percent and absence rates have dropped by 10 percent.

“Different offices at Alhambra High School including the Attendance office […] and the Student/Employee Welfare office work together to help students […] resolve reasons for their absences,” Attendance Office manager Brenda Lima said.