Since the 2017-18 school year, the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has used chronic absenteeism as “part of district and school accountability.” TDOE's website defines chronic absenteeism “as a student missing 10 percent or more of the days the student is enrolled for any reason, including excused absences and out-of-school suspensions.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the national average of chronic absenteeism was about 15%, but that percentage had nearly doubled in the 2021-22 school year. Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) and local charter schools’ chronic absentee numbers were also impacted during this time.
Gestalt Community Schools’ Chief Academic Officer Bobbie Turner says, “Even pre-COVID, chronic absenteeism was always there. We were averaging about 5%, about 150 kids we were working with. As we were coming out of COVID, that moved up to 30%. At the end of last year, we reduced that down to around 20%.”
Turner says additional monies provided by federal and state governments because of COVID-19 allowed schools—like hers— to offer students, families, and facilities the resources needed to address why children are missing so many school days.
Executive Director of Compass Community Schools Kristi Baird and Principal of Schools of Perea Tia James join Turner for this week’s WKNO/Channel 10 Behind the Headlines with host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Laura Testino.
As of last year, additional funding provided to schools because of COVID-19 is no longer available. Baird, however, says, “The problems are still there."
Guests talk about chronic absenteeism within their schools and strategies being taken to improve numbers—even after the end of additional COVID-19 funding.
