CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES At a Glance

Although high rates of absenteeism at the secondary school level have long been recognized as a significant problem, low attendance in elementary schools is often overlooked. Research suggests that one in 10 students younger than grade three nationwide is considered chronically absent, defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year. This Information Capsule reviews the causes and consequences of early chronic absenteeism. In addition, research-based strategies for combating early chronic absenteeism are provided. Attendance rates at Miami-Dade County Public Schools ' elementary schools are summarized and a brief description of a multidisciplinary truancy prevention and intervention pilot program operating in 10 of the District's schools is provided. Suggestions for elementary schools, based on the research reviewed for this paper, include starting interventions early, addressing parental barriers and challenges that inhibit consistent school attendance, coordinating with parents and community agencies to intervene on behalf of chronically absent students, and contacting parents as soon as troubling patterns of absences begin to appear. It has long been recognized that chronic absenteeism in middle and high school is a significant problem, but rates of absenteeism in kindergarten and first grade often equal those found in secondary schools. Although the early elementary years are a time when it is most critical for children to be in school to build the foundation of academic and social skills needed for future educational success, low attendance rates in elementar