Why SEL must be part of the chronic absenteeism solution
Key points:
- Social-emotional skill building tackles the core reasons students disengage from classroom learning
- Data gaps negatively impact academic progress and attendance
- Maybe it’s time to change up high school to improve student attendance
- For more news on chronic absenteeism, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub
Chronic absenteeism remains a nationwide challenge, despite efforts to return to normalcy post-pandemic. And the data suggests we are far from solving it. Right now, one in four classroom seats sits empty–nearly double since the pandemic. This alarming trajectory could have a long tail for students, who will face not only immediate academic setbacks, but also long-term consequences, affecting their health as adults, job prospects and earnings, and even increasing their risk of involvement with the criminal justice system.
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