"Strive for Less Than 5" targets chronic absenteeism
Across Kent County, all 20 public school districts are delivering a message to students and their parents about school attendance: Strive for Less Than 5 days absent this school year! The countywide attendance campaign aims at encouraging students to miss less than five days of school in any given school year and every grade level to ensure that fewer students fall behind academically due to chronic absenteeism.
Chronic absenteeism is defined by all Kent County districts as missing 10 percent or more of school days. Ten percent translates into 2 days per month or 18 days in a 180-day school year.
Superintendents say being out of the classroom for that many days is enough to jeopardize a students' future, impacting academic proficiency, state test scores, and their chances of earning a high school diploma.
Monica Scott filed this report for MLive
