The Christian Science Monitor – Max Lewontin
“In schools across the country, teachers have long fretted about the challenges of reaching students who don’t come to class. Education researchers echo those concerns, saying that missing 10 percent of the school year – just two days a month – is a strong predictor of the likelihood of dropping out of school. This week, the Education Department provided the first comprehensive look at the issue through its 2013-14 Civil Rights Data Collection, an annual report that examines a variety of issues facing students in schools across the country, including school discipline. Its results are striking: More than 6.5 million students were “chronically absent” during the 2013-14 school year, meaning they missed 15 days or more of school per year. That’s the attendance record for 1 in 8 students, according to the department’s survey of 95,000 public schools nationwide.”(more)