Student Absences

Missing a day or two of school is sometimes necessary for a student, but when it becomes a common occurrence, it can lead to disrupted learning. Read more about chronic absenteeism on the Indiana Department of Education website.

Although IDOE can't recommend specific strategies to help reduce and prevent chronic absenteeism for all Indiana students, the research reviewed by the department suggested that successful attendance programs typically consist of three primary activities:

1. Monitoring absences provides school with clear information to identify students who are at risk of becoming chronically absent.
2. Prevention steps should be broad and designed to educate everyone--including families and communities--about the importance of attendance.
3. Intervention steps should focus on students whose attendance does not improve. The steps should include immediate communication with the student's' guardians about their attendance and include follow-up support to assist students in arriving to school on time.