Dave Jones’ Post

Latest Data on the levels of attendance and overall, authorised and unauthorised absence in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. By school type, the absence rates across the academic year 2023/24 to date were: 5.4% in state-funded primary schools (3.9% authorised and 1.5% unauthorised) 8.9% in state-funded secondary schools (5.5% authorised and 3.4% unauthorised) 12.9% in state-funded special schools (9.7% authorised and 3.2% unauthorised) https://lnkd.in/e6nd4t8y

In alignment with our #AttendanceMattersRI campaign, House Education Chair Joe McNamara has introduced legislation put forth RIDE and supported by Governor Dan McKee that aims to ensure consistency in attendance policies and curb chronic absenteeism statewide. The legislation defines terms related to attendance, establishes criteria for excused and unexcused absences, outlines procedures for reporting absences, and requires schools to develop intervention plans for students who are chronically absent. Additionally, the bill seeks to enhance collaboration between schools, families, and community organizations to address attendance issues. Research shows that chronic absenteeism, defined in Rhode Island as missing 10% or more of the school year (typically 18 days or two a month), is associated with a number of negative consequences for students, including lower achievement, disengagement from school, course failure, and an increased risk of dropping out. Significant performance gaps exist for students who are chronically absent. Chronically absent students, on average, performed lower than their not chronically absent peers by 19.9%-26% on 2023 assessments. More here: https://lnkd.in/eTZgyT3q

Our October #education #newsletter also includes articles on: * The new duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and the EHRC’s updated guidance to help employers understand what reasonable steps they may need to take to comply with it; * Why a school was ordered to pay one of its former teachers £850,000 after it dismissed him for making a number of complaints about the head teacher; * Constructive dismissal and specifically, whether a support teacher had to exhaust the school’s grievance procedure, before asserting that the relationship of trust and confident has fundamentally broken down; Plus, our news in brief section summarises all other #HR and education news #schools and #colleges need know about. #legalupdate #educationsector #constructivedismissal #disability #discrimination #compensation #schoolabsence Irwin Mitchell

We know that the school closures have affected a generation, but this lack of direction from the government in response to the senate inquiry on school refusal will leave many parents without much hope. Much more effort needs to be made to take this seriously. #schoolavoidance #schoolrefusal #cantfaceschool #youarenotalone #parentsupport https://lnkd.in/gGHAMcRK

In June, OSSE released a mid-year attendance update for D.C.’s public schools (including DCPS and public charter) as of March 2024, sharing good news: Compared to the same period in the previous school year, chronic absenteeism decreased by 4.3 percentage points. At the school level, a majority of schools (75 percent) are still poised to reduce chronic absenteeism by at least one percentage point, and 51 percent do so by at least 5 percentage points. However, compared to the previous year, fewer schools are continuing to see a decline in chronic absenteeism over the school year. From November to March of 2023-24, 39 schools decreased chronic absenteeism over the school year compared to 88 schools who did so in the previous year. For more information and the data set, visit OSSE's resources here: https://lnkd.in/eBthfZEQ.

A few weeks ago, we asked teachers how absence was impacting learning in classrooms – last week we asked about the new proposal to increase the fixed term penalty notice fine from £60 to £80. Before the lockdown, only 18% of secondary teachers felt lateness and absence was affecting learning. That’s doubled today to 36%. But when it comes to sanctioning families with fines, the policy is distinctly unpopular, with 41% of teachers saying that if they were in charge they wouldn’t use financial charges at all 🚫 #schoolabsence #education #ukschools #teachers

As the National discussions on school absenteeism continue, I invite us to use criticality and widen the scope of our analysis. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi invites us to understand that policies not people govern outcomes we see. As such, education policies govern the outcomes we see across the country with chronic absenteeism. Student, family, and school decisions and behaviors are symptoms not the cause of the absenteeism. https://lnkd.in/dX8sPaMD

Families in England now face higher fines for taking their children out of school during term-time without permission. This follows the 400,000 penalty notices that were issued in England for unauthorised school absences in the academic year 2022/23. The change aims to improve school attendance and ensure children receive a ‘consistent education’. How much could you pay for your child’s absence under the new rates? Get the full details in our latest education update: bit.ly/3U9AXwy #Education #Schools #SchoolAbsence

Both chronic absenteeism and truancy are terms related to students' patterns of attendance, but they have distinct definitions. Understanding these distinctions lays the foundation for addressing the complex issue of absenteeism in schools. Read more: https://bit.ly/44dOJC7

Alarming reports reveal that hundreds of SEN kids are not attending school. Shockingly, no one knows where they are. It's paramount for the government to introduce a register for students not enrolled in schools, including those in homeschooling, for easier tracking. What are your thoughts on this issue? Please let us know in our comment section below. See more here: https://heyor.ca/sAiIwf #Schoolchildren #SpecialEducationalNeeds #SEN