Nearly half of Sonoma County schools exceed federal rate for student absences

For education officials, it's clear as a bell: Kids need to show up to school to do well academically.

But getting them into the classroom has been a major struggle, even when it comes to students in younger grades, according to new data released by the federal government via the Associated Press.

More than 12 percent of public school students in Sonoma County missed at least three weeks of class in the 2013-14 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education. While the county as a whole did better than the national average, nearly half of Sonoma County's schools fared worse, including some of the area's largest campuses.

Nationwide, 13 percent of students - or 6.5 million children, were chronically absent. The statewide average was similar to that of the county at just over 12 percent.

It was the first time the federal agency collected information on chronically absent students, or those who missed 15 days or more of school.

Elsie Allen High and Cook Middle School saw among the highest chronic absenteeism rates in Sonoma County with a respective 28- and 27-percent rate, according to the analysis.

Rates skewed higher at alternative high schools, which have smaller student populations, many of whom already are considered academically at-risk.

Attendance problems weren't just visible in middle and high schools. Students missed a lot of class time in grade schools, including Steele Lane Elementary where a fifth of 450 students were chronically absent, according to the analysis.

It also found that 26 percent of the 400 students at Mark West Elementary School missed three or more weeks of school in 2013-14. However, district Superintendent Ron Calloway said their rate was closer to 16 percent that school year. Many absences were illness related, he said.

School administrators and principals are paying close attention to chronic absences, regardless of whether they're excused, said Mary Ann Ayala, student and family engagement director at Santa Rosa City Schools.

So are state and federal education officials.

After releasing the chronic absenteeism data earlier this month, the Obama administration and U.S. Department of Education unveiled plans to expand a mentoring program aimed at improving attendance in several communities across the country, including Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris also has partnered with educators and nonprofits in the state to find ways to reduce chronic absenteeism and prevent students from dropping out and winding up in the juvenile justice system.

Addressing the problem

Ayala said principals, teachers and district officials in Santa Rosa came together last year to launch a committee and are not only addressing unexcused absences but also excused ones, particularly at a time when schools look to boost graduation rates.

“There is evidence that shows a direct correlation between attendance and graduation rates,” Ayala said. “Students cannot complete the necessary coursework if they are not present. This translates to a loss of credits required for graduation.”

While chronic absenteeism is a major problem affecting the state and nation, Attendance Works Executive Director Hedy Chang said it can be reversed. She said schools need to understand where absenteeism is happening, whom it's impacting and what barriers are preventing children from going to school.

Children may have transportation problems, unstable housing or face violence at home or in the neighborhood, she said. Parents may be keeping their kids at home because of health concerns, such as uncontrolled asthma.

A 2009 study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found a link between frequent absences and a lack of affordable dental care. Children who needed dental care but couldn't afford it were nearly twice as likely to miss one or more days of school than those who could afford it, the report stated.

Students from low-income families are four times as likely to be chronically absent, in part because of lack of health insurance and other factors, according to Attendance Works.

In Sonoma County, 25 percent of Latinos are uninsured, nearly three times the rate for non-Latinos. Meanwhile, Latinos made up nearly half of those students who were chronically absent in the county.

Chang said the federal absenteeism data is a “call to action.” She said schools need to engage parents, and educate them about the importance of getting their kids to school and on time. Educators also need to work with the children; mentorship programs have been successful around the country, she said.

“What gets kids in school is knowing that somebody cares about them,” Chang said.

Changes in reporting

When Chang first began researching chronic absenteeism nearly a decade ago, most California schools were looking only at daily school attendance and truancies, or unexcused absences, which masked the greater problem of chronic absences, she said. It wasn't until three years ago the state started paying closer attention to chronic absences - defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year for any reason, she said.

The state Attorney General's Office released a report in September that focused on elementary school truancy and excessive absences.

The report found absenteeism was disproportionately high among foster youth and homeless, low-income, minority and special education students, and that 83 percent of those students who were chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade were unable to read at proficiency once they reached the third grade. Those kids then would be four times more likely to drop out of high school, and ultimately run the risk of being unemployed, dependent on public assistance and falling into the criminal justice system.

Districts have increased their attention and effort to improve the numbers, according to the attorney general, who partnered with the nonprofit Ad Council, which last year interviewed parents, teachers and school administrators. It found parents did not link the “long-term consequences” to early absences.

The most common misconceptions among parents were that absences in early grades didn't matter as much as in high school and would not cause a negative impact as long as they weren't consecutive.

All it takes is two absences a month for children to fall behind in school, Chang said.

Absences mean less money for school districts. Santa Rosa City Schools lose up to $50 a day for each absent student, Ayala said.

School districts statewide lost more than $1 billion in revenue last year alone because of student absences, the Attorney General's Office reported.

In Sonoma County, it amounted to nearly $12 million. Petaluma City Schools were able to recover about $300,000 to $400,000 because of its intervention and preventive measures, the Attorney General's office added.

The Petaluma school district had among the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in the county at about 9 percent, according to the data released by the federal government.

The school district started looking into students' excessive absences nearly a decade ago, said Dave Rose, its director of student services.

He said school officials take every opportunity to talk to parents about attendance, including at back-to-school nights and parent meetings.

“It's a regular part of the message that we are delivering to all our students,” he said.

School officials call in parents after students reach eight excused absences to discuss the problems keeping their kids from going to school, and come up with a strategy to remove those barriers, Rose said. If needed, families are set up with a school nurse or psychologist.

“There are students that really get into social media and gaming. They find it hard to leave their electronic devices,” he said. Others face substance abuse, marijuana being the most common, he added.

“Family dynamics also come up,” Rose said. “If there is unrest or discourse happening in the family, that will have an impact on student attendance.”

Sonoma Valley School District Superintendent Louann Carlomagno said school officials are working more closely with parents, including those with kids in preschool, to boost student attendance across their campuses. Santa Rosa is working on similar efforts, and has already seen significant drops in absences at both the elementary and secondary schools in the past year, Ayala said.

Two of its elementary schools, Biella and Steele Lane Elementary, and two high schools, Midrose and Grace, are taking part in the Keeping Kids in School Project, she said. The program is aimed at decreasing the number of excused and unexcused absences, improving educational out­­comes, and boosting student and parent engagement.

“Communicating with families and the entire community in a positive nonjudgmental manner the importance of being in school, every day, on time, ready to learn is imperative,” Ayala said.

“We know that elements that create chronic absenteeism are complex and families need support.”

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.