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Attendance Awareness

The goal of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown is to ensure each scholar attends school at a minimum rate of 95 percent, in order to afford the opportunity to meet each scholar’s potential. Middletown’s attendance rate in each school building was at least 92 percent during the 2023-24 school year, which will lead to high graduation rates. Middletown’s Class of 2024 graduation rate was 93 percent.

Download the Board of Education presentation on attendance.

September marks the beginning of the school year and Attendance Awareness Month, a period dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of school attendance, the negative impact of chronic absence, and strategies to engage scholars in school.

According to the New York State Education department, “chronic absence” is defined as missing at least 10% of the school days for which a student is enrolled over the course of an academic year for any reason. It serves as an early warning sign that children may be falling behind academically and are at risk of academic failure.

In New York, more than 1-in-4 (26 percent) elementary and middle school students and more than 1-in-3 (34 percent) of high school students were chronically absent in school year 2022-2023. These rates are even higher for high school Black (46 percent) and Hispanic (44 percent) students, and students with disabilities (45 percent).

How does Chronic Absenteeism Impact New York Students

The detrimental effects of chronic absenteeism are far-reaching, impacting students' educational achievements, emotional well-being, and prospects for future success. Recent data on student performance in reading and math proficiency scores further underscore the urgent need to address this issue in New York State. Shockingly, only 49 percent of fourth-grade students in New York State are proficient in reading, while 54 percent demonstrate proficiency in math.

Promoting a Culture of Attendance

A culture of attendance is the cultivation of an environment where regular participation and presence are valued and encouraged. This means emphasizing the importance and benefits of school attendance. Here are a few suggestions from Attendance Works as to how to promote a culture of attendance:

  1. Supportive environment: Create a welcoming atmosphere that motivates individuals to children to attend regularly through positive reinforcement and community building.
  2. Clear Expectations: Establish and clearly communicate policies and expectations regarding attendance so everyone understands its importance.
  3. Incentives and Recognition: Implement reward systems or recognition programs that celebrate consistent attendance and encourage participation.
  4. Open Communication: Encourage dialogue about attendance challenges and provide support to address barriers preventing children from attending school.

Other Resources:

https://www.attendanceworks.org/take-action/
https://www.future-ed.org/attendance-playbook/
https://sites.ed.gov/nsaesc/

Contact:

To notify the school building about your child's absense. You must include the child's name, date of absense, and reason for the absense.

Middletown High School
attendance-highschool@ecsdm.org


Monhagen
attendance-monhagen@ecsdm.org


TwinTowers
attendance-twintowers@ecsdm.org


Maple Hill Annex
attendance-maplehillannex@ecsdm.org


Maple Hill
attendance-maplehill@ecsdm.org


Presidential Park
attendance-presidentialpark@ecsdm.org


William A. Carter
attendance-williamcarter@ecsdm.org