We want all our students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. But you can’t succeed if you don’t show up!
Attendance is one of the best predictors of student success. Unfortunately, across our nation, state, and District, too many students are struggling to succeed because of chronic absenteeism.
We understand that if our students aren’t in class, they can’t pass. They can’t grow intellectually, academically, socially, or emotionally.
DEFINITIONS:
- Chronic absenteeism includes all absences, excused and unexcused. A Tennessee student is chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of instructional days (typically 18 days absent).
- Truancy includes unexcused absences only. A Tennessee student is truant if they accrue five unexcused absences.
COME to WIN:
When it comes to attendance, there is a lot at stake. Did you know that if your child misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss out on 20 days per year, which is the equivalent of four weeks per year and almost 1.5 years over 13 years of schooling?
Now, if your kid even misses an hour of school each day, that's a full day a week, three weeks a year, and 2.5 years throughout 13 years of schooling.
Your child’s best chances at success start with them being at school. Attendance does matter. Because of that, we have launched the COME to WIN initiative.
Students and parents will now be able to track their child’s attendance/COME to WIN status on their PowerSchool portals as well as on all progress and report cards.
How do I alert my child’s school of an absence?
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, you can conveniently report absences through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Simply log in and navigate to the "Forms" tab, where you will find the Student Absence Form to complete and submit. For any assistance with logging into the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please email [email protected] |
LAW & CONSEQUENCES:
According to Tennessee Code Annotated 49-6-3001, all Tennessee children ages 6 through 17 are required to attend school. This section of the code requires districts to enforce compulsory attendance laws using various methods, up to and including referral to juvenile court. Juvenile court judges may also penalize parents based on their child’s truancy.
THE GOAL: REDUCE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND TRUANCY
Our most important partnership is the one we, as a K-12 school district, share with our students and families. Over the previous school years, we have spent a great deal of time examining how we address matters of attendance and truancy. We have taken steps to be more intentional in our work and implemented methods to provide additional support to families experiencing issues impacting their child’s attendance. Please review our updates and see how you can support this effort.
| WHAT MSCS IS DOING | WHAT WE NEED FAMILIES TO DO |
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CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES We’re using technology more efficiently to connect parents with resources. Now when parents receive a message about their child missing school, they also receive a link to a state database with services in their community such as food pantries and healthcare clinics. To connect with other outreach programs, parents can also call MSCS directly at 901-416-5300. | REINFORCE THE MESSAGE From an early age, explain to your child how important it is to attend school regularly. A missed school day is a lost opportunity for learninfg. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. |
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TASK FORCE Our Attendance and Truancy Task Force is chaired by School Board Member Stephanie Love and includes representatives from governmental agencies and community partners. In our conversations on attendance, we are dismantling the barriers that block needed social supports. | UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO Parents now receive an automated alert via text and robocall when their child has three or more unexcused absences. Make sure you receive important communications from MSCS by keeping your contact info updated in PowerSchool. |
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BUS TOUR District staff recently completed a round of bus tours in areas with low attendance. The purpose was to meet families where they are, share information, and provide resources to improve attendance. | SEND A NOTE Keep your child’s school informed of any absences. If your child is going to be absent, be sure to send a written excuse to the school office, so the absence can be coded accurately in the system and possibly be excused. |
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KEY PARTNERSHIPS We are partnering with the Juvenile Court to develop a dedicated docket for attendance when our supports fail. We also are partnering with the District Attorney’s office, so when interventions fail, there are legal consequences for nonattendance. | REACH OUT IF YOU NEED HELP If your family is impacted by barriers keeping your child from regularly attending school, we are here to help. Visit bit.ly/TN_211 for a database of services, contact your child’s school, or call MSCS directly at 901-416-5300. |
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STAFFING We have reallocated resources for attendance specialists to directly support schools with the lowest attendance rates. | |
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