To the editor:
“Pandemic Impact: School Absenteeism Soars” (March 30 front page) highlights the persistent challenge of chronic absenteeism in U.S. schools. If a pandemic-related “culture shift” is one of the factors keeping students out of school, getting students back may require rethinking the educational culture itself.
Despite the efforts of many visionary educators, too many schools still provide a desk-bound, test- and compliance-oriented education that leaves students passive and unstimulated. , remains totally boring.
Over the past two years, a pilot program in Salem, Massachusetts, has listened to students and designed learning with their interests in mind, including regular field trips, hands-on projects, and mentoring. By doing so, we succeeded in reducing chronic absenteeism among junior high school students by half. With university students. Currently, her chronic absenteeism rate for her 7th graders and her 8th graders who were tested remains at 8%. This is in no small part due to students not wanting to miss out on what their school has to offer.
Educators can reset school culture by being adaptable, believing in teacher leadership, and recognizing that powerful learning can occur outside the walls of the classroom. Unlike the use of bandages and gimmicks that do not produce long-term change, embracing Salem's philosophy of “Education Anywhere” leads to improved attendance and academic growth.
Stephen Hines
Laura Tavares
Steven Zreich
chelsea banks
Mr. Hines is president of the WPS Institute, an educational nonprofit, and Mr. Tavares is executive director. Dr. Zreich serves as Superintendent of Salem Public Schools and Ms. Banks serves as Director of Innovation.
To the editor:
This article sheds light on issues plaguing school districts across the country. As a former homeroom teacher, I remember talking to students who had returned to school after an absence. They asked for jobs they missed. I was able to share my assignments, but what they missed was the social and academic interaction with their peers, the guidance provided, and the opportunity to ask questions while working through the material and being part of a community. I couldn't share the rest.
If done right, school is more than just a collection of assignments. It is a culture of belonging and a vibrant social structure that provides opportunities for growth and exploration, with trusted adults guiding the way.
Solving the problem of absenteeism is not easy. As Chief Education Officer of Mikvah Challenge, an organization that works to engage young people in civic engagement and have their voices heard in the important decisions that affect their lives, I believe that any solution must be successful. , I know that the following is important: Must Involve young people in the process.
Our default as adults is to make decisions in the best interests of our children without asking if their opinions and ideas will work. Young people are not indifferent. They are not invited. They care deeply about the issues that affect them. And when they are involved in decision-making, policy becomes better.
Jill Bass
Chicago
To the editor:
When we read “The impact of the pandemic: School absenteeism is on the rise,” we had mixed feelings. However, it is important for the public to understand that chronic absenteeism in America is not a small problem. On the other hand, the article unintentionally trivialized the serious conflicts experienced by many families, especially those with a lack of resources.
You quote a researcher who says that “the problem has gotten proportionately worse for everyone,” but I question whether this accurately reflects the reality of America today. Based on our own research and that of others, we believe that families who were struggling before the pandemic were far more vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic.
We cannot ignore how deeply the coronavirus has affected communities of color, communities with risk factors, communities in poverty, and communities in rural areas. This is not to deny anyone's struggle. But the struggle was disproportionate. This cannot be ignored.
Zahaba L. Friedman
Keri Giordano
hillside new jersey
Dr. Friedman is an assistant professor and Dr. Giordano is an associate professor in the Kean University School of Health, Human Services and Human Services.
To the editor:
My 12-year-old son has missed most of this year and is part of the chronic absenteeism statistics cited in the article. His attendance was good until he was absent from school twice in one year due to contracting the coronavirus. He was nine years old and had been chronically ill ever since.
It is shocking to me that this article does not at all suggest that some of the absenteeism may be due to chronic illness caused by COVID-19.
A recent study suggests that as many as 5.8 million children in the U.S. have their health affected by the long-term effects of coronavirus. There's a lot of debate over these statistics, but given how reluctant doctors are to diagnose and treat diseases that can't be measured with blood tests, it's no wonder we don't really know the full extent of this disease. Not.
My child, and many others like him, are unable to attend school because they are battling persistent symptoms of a life-altering chronic illness. These kids want to go back to school. Don't leave them out of the story.
Sarah Mathis
Pleasanton, California
To the editor:
The root causes of chronic absenteeism in American public schools are as diverse as the solutions needed to address them. One often overlooked and underfunded strategy that has the potential to re-engage students in learning is arts education.
A 2021 study on the benefits of arts instruction in Boston public schools shows that increased access to arts education reduces student absenteeism, with a greater impact on chronically absent students .
The BPS Arts Expansion is a public-private partnership that has dramatically expanded access to high-quality arts education across the district and enabled long-term research into its impact.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for chronic absenteeism. But as school districts across the country grapple with this issue, expanding access to arts instruction within schools deserves attention.
Marinell Roumaniere
boston
The author is president and CEO of EdVestors, a nonprofit school improvement organization.
