If you are the parent or caregiver of a school age child, you may have heard that chronic absenteeism is on the rise. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss ten or more days of school in one school year. After the pandemic, more students than ever fit into this category, missing out on important opportunities for social and emotional growth.
You might wonder why it is so vital for your child to attend school regularly. Maybe you had a negative schooling experience, or your education was interrupted, and you’re not sure what your child is getting out of school. Maybe your family lives in a different country and you’re not sure whether to pull your children out of classes for these international visits. Whatever your hesitancy might be, here are a few reasons why prioritizing school attendance is beneficial for your child’s present and future.
- Academic achievement. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to be proficient readers by third grade and are less likely to drop out of high school. Sending your child to school is essential for their academic growth.
- School readiness. Although it may seem like preschool and kindergarten are less essential than later grades, in truth, children learn skills in the early grades that set them up for future success. From punctuality to critical thinking to active listening, regular attendance prepares children for school and, eventually, higher education.
- Learning continuity. When your child misses a day of school, they fall behind their classmates. If they miss vital lessons, it can be hard for them to catch up. Keeping your kids in school is the best thing you can do to support their academic growth and help them learn at a pace that works for them.
- Academic enrichment. When students miss school, teachers must spend more time reviewing material and catching children up. This means that they have less time to spend on advanced learners, or on supplemental activities like projects that promote critical thinking and make the school day more fun.
- Emotional health. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to have positive relationships with adults in their school building. They also have more opportunities to interact with and build relationships with their peers. Research has shown that these types of bonds lead to students’ future academic and social success.
- Social skills. At recess, lunch, and even in class, students must learn to work with their peers. This gives them the opportunity to practice solving problems, negotiate conflict, and develop a strong sense of empathy, all of which are essential for their future success.
- Appreciation for diversity. In a school, students interact with peers who vary in race, gender, ability, class, ethnicity, and many other ways. By spending time with their classmates, they learn how to move through an increasingly diverse world, and how to appreciate and draw from the strengths of other cultures.
- Discipline and self-regulation. Students who attend school regularly learn how to regulate their emotions in healthy ways, to follow instructions, and to adjust to routines. These experiences help them develop skills related to perseverance, resilience, and focus that will serve them throughout their lifetime.
- Physical health. Schools provide access to everything from physical education class to sports. Many schools also teach about nutrition, hygiene, and healthy habits through their science or social studies curricula.
- Resources. From checking out library books to getting free and healthy lunches and breakfasts to counseling services to resources for students with disabilities, schools provide a variety of physical resources students need to grow and thrive.
