Ohio is aiming to cut the number of chronically absent students in half over the next five years, the state announced Thursday as the state battles high rates of students missing school.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) Director Stephen Dackin said Thursday that they were pledging to cut chronic absenteeism, or a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason, in half over the next five years, according to a release.
This comes after the state reported last month that although the absentee rate declined, over a quarter of students were still chronically absent and Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district, had a chronic absenteeism rate over double the state average.
DeWine said in a statement that tackling the absenteeism rate is critical for the state because “there’s so much at school to benefit a student’s well-being.” Chronic absenteeism is directly related to increased rates of high school dropout, adverse health outcomes and adult poverty, according to the University of Delaware.
“The commitment we’re making to significantly cut chronic absence means more students will be engaged in their learning and positioned to be successful in school and following graduation so they can reach their full potential,” DeWine said.
Nationwide, 14.7 million students were chronically absent in the 2021-2022 school year. In Ohio, chronic absence is defined as a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason. The 2023-2024 absenteeism rate statewide was 25.6%, which reflected a decline from more than 26% the year prior.
Columbus City Schools, which has the highest chronic absenteeism rate among large urban schools, also declined from 57% the year prior to 54.5%.
The chronic absenteeism rate spiked during the pandemic, when more than 30% of Ohio students were chronically absent during the 2020-2021 school year.
Dackin said the state is seeing declines in the rate and improve attendance “because of the dedicated work from schools, families, and communities.”
“We have more work ahead and it is important attendance remains a daily priority for everyone in our schools,” Dackin said.
What are the state, districts doing about chronic absenteeism?
The ODEW offers a number of resources and tools on its website for school districts, families and community members about how they can support students who may be struggling with chronic absence. Tools for districts include attendance guides and intervention strategies for families of chronically absent students. It also directs students and families to well-being and mental health resources for building social skills.
The state also promotes the Stay in the Game! initiative, which is managed by Battelle. It promotes the importance of strong school attendance through a partnership between the 140 schools, the ODEW and professional sports teams like the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati.
In Columbus City Schools, the district often holds events at schools with the Columbus Crew like ‘clap-ins,’ pep rallies and community meet-ups.
Cbehrens@dispatch.com
@Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio aiming to halve number of students missing school regularly
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