Key Arguments Around Student Attendance Policies
Reasons Schools Enforce Attendance Policies
- Maintain funding levels, which are tied to daily attendance
- Encourage participation to maximize learning
- Prepare students for professional work environments
- Teach responsibility
Reasons Against Penalizing Poor Attendance
- Penalties can negatively impact struggling students
- Attendance is not always within a student’s control
- Evidence on efficacy of penalties is mixed
Using Student Attendance Management Systems
Schools often employ student attendance management platforms to track attendance rates. Features can include:
- Automated attendance taking each class
- Flagging chronic absenteeism
- Contacting families about issues
- Providing attendance reports
- Tracking late arrivals/early departures
- Excuse reporting for illnesses etc.
Benefits provided by these systems include reducing manual processes, identifying at-risk students earlier, and providing data to guide attendance policies. However, they also raise questions about privacy, fairness in automated enforcement, and appropriate use of data. Schools must consider implementation carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions around attendance policies and systems:
What are the most common attendance penalties?
- Lower or failing grades
- Detentions
- Parent/guardian meetings
- Loss of privileges e.g. sports, clubs, parking passes
- Fines
- Required attendance recovery programs
Can penalties differ by age group?
Yes. Recommended best practices are to focus on family engagement and understanding barriers for K-8th grade, with escalating disciplinary consequences from 9-12th grade.
Is chronic absenteeism common?
Yes. Per US government data, 16% of all students nationwide are chronically absent missing 15+ days. Rates are highest among low-income students.
How should attendance systems handle excused absences?
The Department of Education recommends coding medical, family emergency etc. absences separately from unexcused absences and avoiding penalties if documentation provided.
Should schools communicate policies and systems to students/families?
Yes. Clearly communicating expectations, systems, and rationales behind policies can aid transparency, understanding, and fairness.
Key Takeaways from the Attendance Debate
In conclusion, below are some of the critical issues to weigh:
- Enforcement methods balancing accountability with unintended consequences
- Special circumstances of students facing adversity
- Alternatives to exclusionary discipline for chronic absences
- Clear communication about rationales and systems to families
- Responsible use of data from tracking platforms
Finding the right approach depends heavily on context. Open debate helps shape responsible, ethical policies. Student attendance management system provide useful capabilities if deployed judiciously. Going forward, schools must continue evaluating their methods using the latest insights and research into what works best for students.
