Attendance Awareness Month: Attendance in School Directly Impacts Student Success Rates

CFBISD invites parents, students and staff to join us in recognizing Attendance Awareness Month this September as school success goes hand in hand with being in school every day. 

Attendance Awareness Month Spirit Days

Please join us in recognizing the importance of good school attendance by participating in the spirit days each week on the Attendance Awareness Month Spirit Days Flyer (English) and Attendance Awareness Month Spirit Days Flyer (Spanish).

The Importance of Good School Attendance

When students are chronically absent, starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, they are at risk of not reading proficiently by the third grade, poor achievement in middle school and dropping out of high school. When students are absent two or more days a month, or 18 days over the school year, they can fall far behind in what they are supposed to learn and know in each grade level. Excused and unexcused absences mean missing classroom learning time. 

Now more than ever, with COVID-19 absences due to having a confirmed case or quarantining due to close contact, it is important to not miss school for reasons other than illnesses and emergencies. **Parents are required to screen their student(s) for fever and COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. Students and staff who have COVID-19 symptoms, or are test-confirmed with COVID-19, must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry.**

Did You Know?

  • Many absences, even in kindergarten, can cause children to fall behind in school. 
  • Missing just a day or two every month can make it harder to learn to read by the third grade and gain early math skills. 
  • Students with too many absences struggle to catch up, even with take-home assignments. 
  • Absences and tardiness can affect the entire class if the teacher must slow down learning to help children catch up.
  • School gets harder when students consistently miss class as lessons and learning may build on previous lessons and learning.
  • Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track for graduation. 
  • A student who misses 10 days or more during a school year is less likely to graduate from high school.
  • Being in school every day will enable children to do well in school, and graduate from high school ready for work or college. 

What Can Parents Do?

  • Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime and have a morning routine.
  • Turn off all electronics at bedtime including TVs, phones and tablets.
  • Make sure clothes and backpacks are ready the night before.
  • If your child needs to stay home due to illness, ask your teacher for materials and advice about how to help your child stay involved in learning.
  • Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
  • Talk to teachers and counselors if your student feels anxious about school.
  • Develop back up plans for transportation to school. Call on a family member, neighbor or another parent to take your student to school if you are having trouble.
  • Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school. Students without many friends can feel isolated and not want to attend school.
  • Encourage your child to join meaningful extracurricular activities including sports, fine arts and clubs. 

What Can Parents of Temporary Online Option Learners Do?

  • Practice logging into the online class programs and apps with your child. Save usernames and passwords needed somewhere readily available to you and your child. 
  • Identify a quiet place for your child to attend their online classes and to do their schoolwork. 
  • Develop a backup plan for logging in if your child experiences technology failure with the internet or equipment. 
  • Monitor your child’s attendance and participation in online classes.

Attendance is the Law

Not only does good school attendance improve a student’s chance of success, but it’s also state law. CFBISD encourages parents to remember the attendance rules and laws found on pages 40-44 in the CFBISD Student/Parent Handbook.