News Summary
The Rhode Island Department of Education is introducing a new policy aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism for the upcoming school year. Students with excessive absences may be held back from advancing to the next grade, continuing the ‘Attendance Matters’ campaign. This initiative responds to alarming absenteeism rates, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While some districts have seen improvements, challenges remain, particularly in socio-economic disparities affecting attendance. The policy aims to motivate improved attendance and uphold educational standards across the state.
Providence, Rhode Island – The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is set to implement a new policy for the 2023-24 school year that may result in students being held back if they miss too many school days. This initiative, which is a continuation of the “Attendance Matters” campaign, aims to address chronic absenteeism by enforcing stricter attendance standards across the state.
Under the new policy, students who meet specific criteria regarding absences may be at risk of not advancing to the next grade level. If a child qualifies for retention due to attendance issues, families will be informed through notifications. The policy is designed to promote better attendance and ultimately improve educational outcomes for students.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 18 school days in a year, or 10% of the total school days. Research indicates that students who are chronically absent perform significantly worse academically, scoring an average of 20 percentage points lower on assessments compared to their peers with regular attendance. In addition, nearly 40% of chronically absent students are at risk of not graduating from high school.
The issue of chronic absenteeism escalated dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, with rates peaking at nearly 34% during the 2021-22 academic year. However, there have been improvements since then, with the chronic absenteeism rate in Rhode Island decreasing to 24.7% as of the 2023-24 school year. Some school districts, such as Lincoln and Cumberland, have reported notable advancements in attendance rates, suggesting a positive trend toward improved student engagement.
Lincoln Public Schools are actively assessing their attendance practices to better understand the various circumstances that contribute to student absenteeism. Community Elementary in Cumberland and Lonsdale Elementary in Lincoln have both shown significant improvements in their attendance rankings, reflecting the impact of the measures being implemented.
Despite these achievements, disparities remain in absenteeism rates across socio-economic lines. Generally, wealthier communities tend to experience lower levels of chronic absenteeism compared to poorer ones, which face additional challenges, including family responsibilities and transportation issues that can hinder students’ ability to attend school consistently.
RIDE’s initiatives have demonstrated early signs of success, but the department acknowledges that many significant challenges, including addressing the factors contributing to absenteeism in less affluent areas, still need to be tackled. The emphasis on retaining students based on attendance will serve as both a motivator for improved student participation and a means of ensuring that educational standards are upheld as the state continues to confront ongoing attendance challenges.
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Additional Resources
- Turn to 10 News
- Wikipedia: Chronic Absenteeism
- Providence Journal
- Google Search: Attendance Policy Rhode Island
- WPRI News
- Google Scholar: Impact of Absenteeism on Education
- Governing
- Encyclopedia Britannica: School Absenteeism
- Valley Breeze
- Google News: Chronic Absenteeism Rhode Island
Author: STAFF HERE PROVIDENCE WRITER
PROVIDENCE STAFF WRITER The PROVIDENCE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREProvidence.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Providence, Providence County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as WaterFire, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and Rhode Island Comic Con. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in finance and manufacturing that power the local economy such as Citizens Financial Group and Textron. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Rhode Island's dynamic landscape.
