Kinvolved Blog Engaging Students & Families for Back to School [A Guide to Planning]

The Student Attendance and Enrollment Crisis Student attendance is the leading indicator of student success but pre-pandemic, approximately 8 million (or 15%) of U.S. children were chronically absent. In the last year these numbers skyrocketed, but because many states did not prioritize attendance data collection, we may never know the true extent of the problem. What we do know is that public schools have also lost over one million students-mostly in kindergarten and elementary grades and from low-income households. These students were not absent-they were never enrolled. The implications of this are dire: our most vulnerable students, who were already starting from behind, are now facing even more hurdles, not just academically but also socially and emotionally. And because district funding is tied to attendance and enrollment, as well as ESSA accountability plans, districts may find themselves with less money in the future if they don't find a way to re-enroll and re-engage students.But the news is not all bad. We know that family and student engagement is key to combating chronic absenteeism and there are steps that schools can take right now to start the school year strong and lay the foundation for a successful 2021-22. Read our 2020 Impact Report to Learn How Kinvolved and Our Partner Districts Engaged Students and Families