In the wake of pandemic closures, the resumption of in-person schooling in Springfield, Mass. brought about an unexpected change that was immediately noticed by Rousmery Negrón and her 11-year-old son.
The once welcoming atmosphere of the school seemed to have vanished, leaving both parent and child feeling unsettled.
Negrón recounted how parents were now required to make appointments before entering the building, a stark departure from the previous open-door policy.
Moreover, the disciplinary measures implemented by the school had become more severe, creating an environment that appeared less tolerant and filled with anger.
Disturbingly, Negrón’s son confided in her that he had overheard a teacher mocking his learning disabilities, using an ugly name to belittle him.
As a result, her son’s desire to attend school waned, and Negrón herself began to question the safety of the educational institution.
During his sixth-grade year, he found himself facing an unexpected and challenging situation that would ultimately result in his absence from school for an extended period of time, a total of more than five months.
This unforeseen circumstance proved to be a significant setback in his academic journey, as he was forced to navigate the complexities of learning from a distance.
The absence not only affected his educational progress but also disrupted his social and emotional development, as he was unable to interact with his peers and participate in the various extracurricular activities that are an integral part of the middle school experience.
The impact of this extended absence on his overall academic performance and future prospects was a cause for concern, as he would need to make significant efforts to catch up with his classmates upon his return.
The challenges that lay ahead were daunting, but he was determined to overcome them and make the most of the remaining time in his sixth-grade year.
Since the reopening of schools during the pandemic, an alarming trend has emerged across the nation, with students being absent at unprecedented rates.
The most recent data available reveals that over a quarter of students, or approximately 6.5 million additional students, missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year, classifying them as chronically absent.
This represents a significant increase compared to the pre-pandemic period, where only 15% of students missed such a substantial amount of school.
The comprehensive analysis, conducted by Stanford University education professor Thomas Dee in collaboration with The Associated Press, encompasses data from 40 states and Washington, D.C., providing a comprehensive understanding of absenteeism on a national scale. Dee’s analysis further highlights that absenteeism was disproportionately prevalent among Latino, Black, and low-income students.
These absences compound the time that students have already missed due to school closures and pandemic-related disruptions.
As schools strive to recover from the substantial setbacks in learning, these absences prove to be detrimental, as they deprive students of valuable classroom time.
It is important to recognize that absent students not only miss out on instruction but also on the multitude of other resources and opportunities that schools provide, such as meals, counseling, and socialization.
Consequently, students who are chronically absent, typically defined as missing 18 or more days of school per year in most jurisdictions, face an elevated risk of struggling to acquire essential literacy skills and ultimately dropping out of school.
The consequences of chronic absenteeism extend far beyond the immediate impact on educational attainment, posing long-term challenges for these students’ academic and personal development.
The disengagement of students from school has far-reaching and devastating consequences in the long term, a fact that has been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic, affecting an even larger number of students.
Hedy Chang, the executive director of Attendance Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing chronic absenteeism, expressed concern over the worsening situation.
Recent data from seven states revealed that the rate of chronically absent children has doubled for the 2021-22 school year compared to the period before the pandemic in 2018-19.
Furthermore, the analysis discovered that chronic absenteeism has increased in every state with available data, irrespective of the state’s COVID rates.
Numerous factors contribute to children choosing to stay home, including financial constraints, housing instability, illness, transportation issues, school staffing shortages, anxiety, depression, bullying, and a general feeling of being unwelcome at school.
The repercussions of online learning have also had a lasting impact, as school relationships have become strained, and after spending months at home, many parents and students fail to see the importance of regular attendance.
Elmer Roldan, from Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, an organization that assists schools in following up with absent students, highlighted the effect of the pandemic on families’ perception of school, as they have become accustomed to the idea that school can be conducted differently and schoolwork can be accomplished outside of the traditional 8-to-3 day.
In March 2020, when classrooms across the nation closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria Negrón, a resident of Springfield, experienced a sense of relief knowing that her two sons were safe at home.
Having grown up in Puerto Rico, Negrón had developed a deep-seated fear of mainland American schools, particularly after the tragic shooting incident at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012.
However, when in-person instruction resumed a year later, Negrón’s optimism quickly faded as her son was placed in a class for students with disabilities, with school staff attributing his hyperactive and distracted behavior as the reason.
This decision left her son feeling unwelcome and unsafe, leading Negrón to believe that danger lurked not only outside but also within the confines of the school.
Frustrated and determined not to waste her time and hard-earned money on uniforms for her son to attend a school where he would inevitably fail, Negrón, a single mother who works as a cook at another school, expressed her concerns.
The post-COVID era has brought about a shift in the landscape of chronic absenteeism, as observed by Todd Langager, an expert in addressing absenteeism in San Diego County schools.
While some factors contributing to students’ inability to attend school, such as illness and economic distress, remain consistent, there is an underlying sense that “something has changed.” Langager notes that students who already felt unseen or lacked a caring adult at school now feel even more disconnected from the educational system.
The state of Alaska has emerged as a concerning leader in absenteeism, with a staggering 48.6% of students missing significant amounts of school.
This issue is even more pronounced among Alaska Native students, with a higher absenteeism rate of 56.5%. The implications of this growing trend of chronic absenteeism in the aftermath of the pandemic are profound and demand urgent attention from educators, policymakers, and communities at large.
According to Heather Powell, an Alaska Native teacher, students in certain communities face numerous challenges such as poverty, limited access to mental health services, and a school calendar that does not align with their traditional hunting and fishing activities.
Additionally, many of these students are raised by grandparents who recall a dark period in history when Native children were forcibly sent to boarding schools.
As a result, education is not always highly valued within these families. In a different context, Marisa Kosek shared the story of her son James, who experienced a significant decline in his academic motivation and attendance after losing the relationships he had formed at his previous school.
James, who is 12 years old and has autism, struggled with online and hybrid learning models. Despite the efforts of his teachers and various support systems, James became disinterested and missed a substantial number of school days.
His mother, who is also a teacher, sought assistance from relatives, therapists, and crisis units, but James remained anxious, aware of his academic setbacks, and lacking the motivation to catch up.
In a recent interview, Kosek expressed her exhaustion from being around people all day in school and having to put on a facade of normalcy.
However, her hope has been renewed since her son James was accepted into a private residential school that specializes in catering to students with autism.
The challenges faced by students with medical conditions and staffing issues have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Juan Ballina, who suffers from epilepsy, requires the presence of a trained staff member to administer medication in case of a seizure.
However, the nationwide shortage of school nurses, caused by retirements and better pay in hospitals, has made it difficult for schools to provide the necessary support.
As a result, Juan missed more than 90 days of school last year, leading to feelings of loneliness and a decline in motivation.
While Juan has been able to attend school with his nurse this year, the effects of his prolonged absence continue to linger, with his mother noting a decrease in his reading habits.
Another lasting impact of the pandemic is the conditioning of parents and students to stay home at the slightest sign of illness.
Renee Slater, a teacher in a rural California district, shared her concerns about her daughter’s increased absences during the previous school year.
Despite being a straight-A student, her daughter insisted on staying home for 20 days, citing vague feelings of unwellness.
Slater highlighted the challenge faced by parents of older children, as physically coercing them to attend school is no longer an option.
The change in mindset towards school attendance has become a significant issue for many families. Although comprehensive attendance data for the 2022-23 school year has yet to be released, early figures from Connecticut and Massachusetts indicate that chronic absenteeism remains at double its pre-pandemic rate.
In Springfield, Negrón’s hometown, 39% of students were chronically absent last year, showing a slight improvement from the previous year but still a cause for concern.
The rates of chronic absenteeism are even higher for students with disabilities. Negrón, whose son struggled academically and emotionally during his time away from school, filed a complaint requesting compensatory services and funding for him to attend a private special education school.
However, the district ruled against her request. As the new school year approaches, Negrón is filled with dread, as her son is reluctant to return to his previous school. She is only willing to consider his return if the district grants her request for him to study in a mainstream classroom with a personal aide.
While the district cited privacy concerns and refrained from commenting on individual cases, Negrón expressed her desire to homeschool her sons if she had the option. However, the need to work and concerns about their social isolation prevent her from pursuing this alternative.