The first step toward student success is being present in class
By Johna Underwood
The spring semester can feel like it lasts forever. The days begin to lengthen, the school calendar is a little longer, and there are fewer holidays and breaks. This seemingly drawn-out semester can cause students, and sometimes parents, to feel that a few absences here and there won’t make a difference in their education. However, when combining these “few absences” with the busyness of the spring, what started as a little time missed from academics can suddenly become an overwhelming wall of missed information.
As with many things in education, the old cliches contain an element of truth. Like my old band directors used to say, “Showing up is the first step to success.” For students to do well in school, they need to be present for instruction. Students can make remarkable academic gains in a few short weeks with instruction and support as needed. Therefore, teachers are often not only teaching the material students need to learn, but are also providing targeted help, or intervention, for specific students in specific areas as need arises. All of this means that the more present a student is in class, the more likely they are to learn new information and skills and get help growing those skills when they struggle.
Additionally, parents may not realize that not only does Texas require attendance for students enrolled in public school, but the state may not grant a student credit for coursework if the students fails to attend less than 90% of the time that school is in session. For most school calendars, this 90% rule equates to no more than nine non-school related absences a semester. The 90% rule can be further complicated for our middle and high school students because it applies not just to a school day, but to individual classes. For example, a high school student who frequently struggles to make it to first period, but is present for the rest of the day may still need to make up the missed first-period minutes. Not only do these absences cost the student in terms of missed coursework and time, but they also literally cost a school district. A significant portion of a district’s funding is based on the number of students enrolled and the daily attendance rate. So, poor attendance on a large scale can affect a district’s budget. This in turn may affect the ability to offer students the best educational opportunities.
Most importantly, the more students are present, the more they can engage in classes and activities they enjoy such as sports, theater, art, music, agriculture, career and technology classes, and a variety of clubs and organizations. These courses and activities are a great way for students to gain skills beyond the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, and might even be the reason students want to come to school.
As students move into middle and high school, these activities often include tournaments, competitions, field trips and community service projects. This is where the busyness of the spring semester can make attendance even more important. For example, a high school student who plays baseball, raises animals for ag competitions and plays trumpet in the jazz band could potentially miss 15 to 20 days of school for various activities off-campus throughout the spring semester. Participating in these influential extracurricular activities that students love and that teach important life lessons is an integral part of the middle and high school experience, which is why attendance in class on those non-competition days is so important. Solid attendance allows our students to stay caught up on classwork while still being able to take advantage of the character-building opportunities schools offer.
Truthfully, I miss my students when they’re absent. Each student adds their individual personality and insights to our classes. We, as teachers, want all those voices to be a daily part of the learning communities that we are building in our classrooms.
Johna Underwood teaches English at Gatesville High School.