Help Your Child Succeed in School:
Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early
Did You Know?
- Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just 1 or 2 days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this
habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually
good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and college.\
What You Can Do
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Keep your child healthy and make sure your child has the required shots.
- Introduce your children to their teachers and classmates before school starts.
- Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor or another parent.
- Try to schedule non-Covid-19 related medical appointments and extended trips when school isn't in session.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- If you are concerned that your child may have Covid-19, call your school for advice.
- If your child must stay home due to illness or quarantine, ask the teacher for resources and ideas to continue learning at home.
When Do Absences Become a Problem?
Chronic Absence
18 or more days
Warning Signs
10 to 17 days
Satisfactory
9 or fewer absences
Note: These numbers assume a 180-day school year.
Visit Attendance Works at www.attendanceworks.org for free downloadable resources and tools!
Click here for the Attendance Works Good Attendance Habits Flyer
