Enabling Change

Overcoming Obstacles: Students’ Journey to School

As a young student, I never found myself torn between the allure of staying home and the responsibility of attending school. The expectation in my household was always for me to get up and go to school. When I was younger, my mother or an older sibling walked me to school. The time came for me to make that trek on my own. While the walk to school was a routine part of my day, sometimes I was scared. I lived in a high-crime area. Therefore this simple act was often a source of anxiety and fear for me. The threat of violence, gang activity, and drug-related crime made the journey to school a perilous one. This was especially so for my friends who rode public transportation. That ride could be unpredictable. I heard of a classmate getting beaten up because someone wanted his new shoes. The trauma made it hard for him to return or even for his mother to want him to return to school.

I lived in a pretty close knit community. Everyone knew each other and kept close watch on the children in the neighborhood. Additionally, community policing played a vital role in ensuring my safety and fostered a sense of security within the community. By working closely with residents, businesses, and community organizations, police officers identified and addressed the root causes of crime, creating safer and more vibrant neighborhoods. What if this was not the case? If I was afraid to leave my house, would I have gone to school? Would I have fallen prey to the gang bangers or to the flashiness of the street life?

Safety and transportation are just a couple of contributing factors to chronic absenteeism in schools today. It's essential to address the various root causes of absenteeism, including those that may be a result of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted families and exacerbated the challenges contributing to chronic student absenteeism. The pandemic has led to increased anxiety and depression among both children and adults. Mental health challenges can make it difficult for students to focus, attend school regularly, and engage in learning. Many families experienced loss due to the pandemic, which can have a profound impact on a child's emotional well-being and their ability to attend school. Not to mention that many families experienced job loss or reduced income during the pandemic, leading to financial stress and difficulty affording basic necessities like food, housing, and transportation. Financial difficulties can force families to make difficult choices, such as keeping children at home to care for younger siblings or to work to support the family. Factors like illness, transportation issues, family emergencies, and lack of engagement can all contribute to poor attendance. It is important for schools to work with families and community partners to identify and address these underlying issues.

Exploring Root Causes of Absenteeism Starting with Transportation

Students can’t go to school if they cannot safely and reliably get there. While inconsistencies in both public and school transportation can significantly contribute to chronic absenteeism in students, transportation troubles can be complex. There may also be an inability for families to pivot when sudden changes occur, challenges due to inclement weather, or concerns about safety if students live in high crime areas that lack safe routes. Key factors to consider are the following:

• Missed Stops and Late Arrivals: When school buses consistently miss stops or arrive late, students are unable to reach school on time, leading to tardies or even absences.

• Unreliable Schedules: Changes in either school or public bus schedules or routes can disrupt students' routines, making it difficult for them to plan their days and get to school consistently.

• Bus Cancellations: Unexpected school bus cancellations leave students without transportation options, forcing them to miss school entirely.

• Long Wait Times: Extended wait times at bus stops can discourage students from using the transportation system, especially in inclement weather.

• Lack of Communication: Ineffective communication about bus delays, cancellations, or schedule changes can leave families unprepared and unable to make alternative arrangements.

• Effects of Housing Insecurity: When families are frequently moving between shelters, temporary housing, or different residences, students may have to switch schools multiple times. Each move may require adjusting to a new transportation route, bus stop, or walking distance, which can be challenging, especially for young children.

• Bullying and Harassment: Students may be subjected to verbal, physical, or emotional bullying from other students on the school bus or on public transportation.

In general, these issues can create a cycle of absenteeism. As students miss more school days, they fall behind academically and become more likely to disengage from their education. This can lead to further absences, compounding the problem.

Breaking Down Barriers with Collaborative Effort

Breaking down the barriers that contribute to chronic absenteeism is a collaborative effort because it requires a multifaceted approach to address the complex issues that contribute to student absences. No single individual or organization can effectively tackle this problem alone. A collaborative effort involves the cooperation and coordination of various stakeholders:

• Creating a Positive School Climate: This involves promoting respect, empathy, tolerance, and inclusivity among students and staff. It also includes providing support services for students who are struggling with mental health issues, housing insecurity, transportation, or trauma.

• Working with Community Partners: This includes collaborating with law enforcement, social service agencies, and other organizations to address safety concerns in the community. Organizations can collaborate to form neighborhood Hub Tables (see below) and work together to ensure families and individuals are safe, healthy, and have the opportunity to thrive.

• Getting Back to Community Policing: In 2018, the Boston Police Department implemented the HUB Table Model in Districts A-7/East Boston and E-13/Jamaica Plain. These districts have had success achieving their mission, linking high risk individuals and families to a wide range of comprehensive services in their neighborhoods, while simultaneously reducing repeat 911 calls for service. Increased patrols, problem-oriented policing, and community-based crime prevention programs can help reduce crime rates in neighborhoods surrounding schools and help ease safety concerns.

• Developing Data-Driven Strategies: Boston Public Schools (BPS) utilizes data to identify students at risk of becoming chronically absent. This data-driven approach allows for early intervention and targeted support.

• Developing Attendance Improvement Plans (AIPs): Schools can develop AIPs that are targeted to chronically absent students or those at risk with specific goals and strategies to improve attendance. These plans often involve collaboration with families, community organizations, and healthcare providers.

• Increasing Student and Family Safety and Health: Schools can partner with various community organizations to provide resources and support to families. For example, Youth Development Network (YDN) collaborates with three Boston public high schools to reduce chronic absenteeism through mentoring, tutoring, and other support services with the goal of reconnecting chronically absent youth to their learning and to a network of support.

• Family and Parent Involvement: They are the primary caregivers and have a significant influence on their children's attendance. By working closely with schools, they can ensure that their children attend regularly and address any barriers to attendance. Families can form school site councils, a group of teachers, parents, classified employees, and oftentimes students that work with the principal to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and school budgets, and can address pressing issues like chronic absenteeism.

Schools need to work with families to address some of these root causes of chronic absenteeism. When implementing effective strategies, schools and their community partners can work together to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed. By reducing barriers like accessible and reliable transportation, safety, homelessness, and health issues, we can create an environment where students and families prioritize education as essential. This involves making school a welcoming and supportive place where students feel valued and motivated to learn. In essence, a collaborative approach to reducing chronic absenteeism can help break down barriers, create opportunities, and build a brighter future for students, families, and communities.

Photo at top by Kellyanne Mahoney.