Expert: Chronic absenteeism ‘increasingly getting worse’ since COVID-19 pandemic – WRGB

Expert: Chronic absenteeism 'increasingly getting worse' since COVID-19 pandemic

by JT Fetch & Shawn Robinson

Chronic absenteeism 'increasingly getting worse' since COVID-19 pandemic{ } (Photo: CNYCentral)

(WRGB)

Chronic absence means missing 10 percent or more of school over the course of the year. Since the pandemic, it's been an issue raising alarms for educators.

State Education Department (NYSED) data shows nearly 38 percent of Albany elementary and middle school students are chronically absent. At the high school level, it's nearly 61 percent of students.

In Schenectady, roughly 55 percent for elementary and middle school students and nearly 60 percent for high schoolers.

A NYSED report found this can obviously lead to low academic achievement, but also things like substance abuse.

It also takes teachers away from helping kids who are always there learn when they have to catch up students who skip classes.

Jayne Demsky is an expert on this issue. She's the founder of the School Avoidance Alliance, and says not showing up can snowball into several different issues:

"It leads, usually, to depression. The isolation, the stigmatization of it... The school's gotta try to engage that student, even if they're outside of school, with texts, phone calls, visits... It's gotten even worse since right back to school after COVID. It's just increasingly getting worse, Demsky told CBS 6.

Demsky offers six solutions:

Demsky says when parents notice the issue, they should involve the school immediately, since early intervention is most important. Demsky mentioned schools engaging absent students.

We've done a lot of reporting on Gloversville.

They had a big issue with absenteeism. In just one year, they made progress with a street team of educators and counselors visiting different homes door-to-door.

They've seen attendance nearly two percent in the middle and high schools.

Crisis in the Classroom is a weekly segment in which CBS 6 investigates issues faced by educators, students, and families. Send any tips to our team by emailing or by calling (518) 288-6034.

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Expert: Chronic absenteeism 'increasingly getting worse' since COVID-19 pandemic - WRGB