What happens to a child’s reading skills if they miss just 2 days of school each month?

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow.

About 1 in 5 children across the Lehigh Valley miss more than 18 days of school each year. That’s roughly 2 days per month, 10 percent of the school year, and about a month of lost learning opportunity. Students who miss this many days are considered chronically absent, fall behind in their course work, and have a difficult time staying connected with their classmates. We encourage students to attend school every day, and to strive for less than five days absent each year.


Every day attendance in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten has been shown to set the pattern for how kids will continue to value attending school each year. Important reading skills taught in kindergarten and first grade are critical to helping kids read well by the end of third grade. 


How do we address chronic absenteeism and everyday attendance? 


Lehigh Valley Reads: 

  • Helps schools improve their tracking of school attendance and chronic absenteeism. 
  • Supports programs that make it fun for kids to come to school every day.
  • Thanks parents and family members who make every day attendance a priority.
  • Builds more positive school cultures and offers supports to families who have barriers to sending their children to school every day.


Resources

Attendance in the Early Grades Infographic (download)


What Good School Attendance Means


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Get Ready for School - Preschool, Kindergarten

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Build the Habit of Good Attendance - Preschool, Kindergarten

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Build the Habit of Good Attendance - Elementary

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Build the Habit of Good Attendance - Middle, Secondary

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