Get Ready for Attendance Awareness Month

8/27/2024

September is Attendance Awareness Month, a nationwide recognition of the connection between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Celebrate with the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network by participating in planned events each week to encourage attending school every day and reducing chronic absenteeism.

Districts and schools can check out the spirit week flyer and participate in engaging activities to generate excitement and encourage regular attendance. Some schools may even be recognized by the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, or the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

A student who misses just two to three days of school per month can be chronically absent. Attendance Awareness Month highlights the importance of mobilizing schools, families, and community partners to promote and implement tiered strategies and personalized interventions to reduce chronic absenteeism. When students are not chronically absent, they are far more likely to read at grade level, succeed academically, graduate on time, and be ready for the workforce.

Ohio’s chronic absenteeism rate for the 2022-2023 school year was 26.8%, which has improved statewide by 3.4% from the 2021-2022 school year.

For more information and attendance resources, visit the recently updated Attendance Support webpage. Email Patrick Hickman with any questions.