Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow

Help Your Child Succeed by Building a Habit of Good School Attendance

This school year, Lenawee County public school districts are uniting to help students, families, and community members understand the importance of school attendance and its direct impact on academic achievement. Through the "Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow" campaign, local school districts will be sharing data, communications, and other information. We encourage you to help make school attendance a priority for your family and help us increase attendance percentages back to their pre-pandemic rates.

Why Are Lenawee County Schools Starting an Attendance Awareness Campaign?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Lenawee County was among the leaders in Michigan for good attendance. Unfortunately, we have seen a concerning rise locally, statewide, and across the nation in chronic absenteeism in recent years. Nearly 1 in 3 Lenawee students were chronically absent during the 2022-2023 school year, more than double the percentage from the 2017-2018 school year. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school year. This equates to roughly two days per month, or about 18 total days over the course of the year. By graduation, this totals more than one year of school missed.

Why Does Attendance Matter?

While there are multiple reasons attendance matters, the most important is that attendance directly impacts student achievement. Data shows that students who are chronically absent are at a higher risk of learning gaps, lower grades and test scores, and even dropping out of school. Even more importantly, it can create long-term challenges in achieving future goals.

Did You Know?

• Elementary School: Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school. Only 17% of students who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade can read at grade level by the end of third grade.
• Middle School: By 6th grade, absenteeism becomes a leading indicator of dropping out. By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of students graduating than 8th grade test scores.
• High School: Chronically absent high school students have GPAs almost a full point lower than peers with consistent attendance. Chronic absenteeism not only hurts high school students in the classroom, but creates poor attendance habits that carry over to college and the workforce.
• College: Chronically absent high school graduates have only an 11% chance of receiving any degree.

What Are the Benefits of School Attendance?

Academic Achievement

Students who attend school regularly benefit from learning in a structured environment and are more likely to perform better academically, particularly on reading and math assessments. 

Connection and Community

Students who attend school regularly have the opportunity to engage with others, learning from diverse perspectives and building interpersonal skills. Students also create a strong network of peers and adults in the community.

Improved Mental Health

Lenawee schools care about the mental well-being of their students. Regular school attendance actually decreases stress and anxiety by creating a daily routine for a student’s mind and body, keeping them on track with assignments, and offering opportunities for positive social interactions. 

Lifelong Skills

Students who attend school regularly build life skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Students also develop good habits and future aspirations to support a successful transition to the workforce.

What Are the Barriers to School Attendance?

We understand that families may have additional challenges that serve as barriers to getting their students to school. Please connect with your building principal or administrator to learn what resources exist to help. Common barriers to attendance include:

• Misconceptions about the importance of regular attendance
• Transportation
• Illness
• Bullying
• Anxiety or stress
• Housing instability
• Lack of engaging instruction
• Academic or social struggles
• Lack of future goals or plans
• Trauma
• Caregiver or other family responsibilities
• Negative or apathetic attitudes about school at home

Illness

While attendance is important, we also want to create a safe and healthy learning environment. Schools understand some absences may be required due to illness. Signs to stay home include:

• Persistent cough
• Temperature high than 100 degrees (with or without medicine)
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Pink, crusty eyes
• Instruction from a doctor

If a student is sick and unable to come to school, please follow your building's process to report an absence. However, don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Consider that sometimes a stomach ache or headache is a sign of anxiety. Talk to teachers, school counselors, and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.

How Can Families Help?

• Reinforce the value of attending school on a consistent basis with your child.
• Try to schedule trips and non-emergency appointments outside of school hours.
• Don't let your child stay home unless they are truly sick.
• Develop backup plans for getting to school if needed.
• Establish a consistent morning routine to help your child be on time each day.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before - have your child help with this!
• Minimize screen time at night to promote restful sleep.
• Follow your building's process to report absences.
• Contact your building principal, counselor, or teachers if you need additional help or resources.

Schools, families, and the community working together can create a sense of belonging, reinforcing the importance of education and school attendance for the success of the next generation. Thank you for your support in prioritizing regular attendance throughout the school year.