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Positive School Attendance and Truancy Prevention

Equity for all starts with positive school attendance

At Alexandria City Public Schools, we want our students in #SchoolEveryday.

When students attend school regularly and on time, they:

  • Build strong relationships with peers and teachers

  • Enjoy being a part of the school and classroom community

  • Receive daily instruction that can’t be made up afterwards

  • Feel a sense of pride in their school work and all they have learned

Did you know?

  • Attending school every day in elementary school increases the likelihood that your child will read on grade level.

  • Absences can lead to lower academic achievement due to missed instruction, regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused.

  • Regular attendance leads to increased chances that students will graduate from high school on time. 

  • Absences can be a sign that a student is having difficulty with school work, facing peer conflicts or other possible challenges, or starting to question their ability to be successful at school. Help is available. Contact your child’s school for support.

 

 

Absences add up! Missing just 2 days a month means a child misses 10% of the school year. Hashtag schooleveryday

Resources

In the News

View this WUSA9 news story where Superintendent Dr. Kay-Wyatt highlights the importance of attendance.

Tips for keeping your child on track to success:

  1. Establish a bedtime and morning routine 

  2. Place limits on social media/cell phone throughout the night

  3. Set expectations for using the location feature on student cell phones 

  4. Check your child’s attendance regularly on PowerSchool

  5. Talk with your student about their favorite
    part of the school day and about their friends

  6. Communicate with the school about attendance on ParentSquare - An easy way to communicate with your child’s teacher(s) and school staff

Plan trips only when students are not in school. ACPS School Calendar

What is regular attendance?

While we expect and hope that our students will be in school, on time, daily, we know that children get sick. Please let your child stay home only on days they are sick. A child has regular attendance when they attend school 95% of the school days. This means having nine or less absences for any reason throughout the school year. 

If your child is sick in the morning and you are unsure if they should go to school, call your school’s nurse about your child’s symptoms and they will be able to guide you. Also, if your child is repeatedly feeling ill in the morning and then feels better later in the day, contact your school’s social worker or nurse for support. If your child doesn’t want to go to school, contact your child’s school social worker or counselor for support.

When Do Absences Become a Problem?

  • Chronic absence: 18 or more days
  • Warning signs: 10 to 17 days
  • Under review: 9 or fewer absences

Did you know? 

Missing 10% or an average of  2 days of school each month can make it harder for students to learn to read and can impact academic success overall.  

Absences can quickly add up. 

Attending #schooleveryday leads to school success!

Please review the ACPS Attendance Policy types of absences that are excused. Remember, absences of any type, when they add up, can impact a student’s academics.

At Alexandria City Public Schools, we want our students in #SchoolEveryday.

In order for students to access their education, they must commit to regularly attend school. Parents are our partners in ensuring students are in school and ready to learn each day. Equity for all begins with positive attendance habits that open the door for students to take advantage of the many rich opportunities available to them at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). 

When students miss school, they miss instruction. They miss developing social skills with their classmates and friends. They miss opportunities to take advantage of extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports. And we miss them!

Our goal is for each student to be present at school every day. When a student is absent from school for an excused reason, it is important for parents to communicate with the school so that the student can make up for missed assignments. Together, we can achieve equity for all starting with positive school attendance.