RealClearEducation: Why American Students Are Skipping School
How Healing Relationships Between Schools and Families Can Address the Truancy Crisis
Good Afternoon Subscribers!
I’m happy to report that RealClearEducation just published my op-ed, “Why American Students Are Skipping School: How Healing Relationships Between Schools and Families Can Address the Truancy Crisis.”
You can click here or on the image below to read it.
Are you sensing truancy problems in your community?
A startling study published by Stanford University education professor Thomas Dee last month found that record-breaking numbers of American K-12 students have been chronically absent since the reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While there are a variety of explanations for the truancy crisis, I argue that damaged relationships between families and schools play a major role. A better understanding of that damaged relationship can serve as a helpful first step in beginning to solve the attendance crisis in America’s schools.
I discuss how dynamics and problems arising from pandemic learning, cultural polarization, and school shootings have have stoked fears and distrust and likely exacerbated the truancy crisis. I also suggest several key steps to get kids back to school and help restore the relationship between schools and families.
If you have ideas on how to help heal and sustain relationships between schools and families, I would love to hear from you.
Hope you will enjoy reading the op-ed and will consider sharing it!
Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of visiting your inbox each month.
Until my next post,
Antonette
Congrats! I think the school closures played a huge part in people's perception of school. For some parents it was the reality check to get out of public school. But for many I think they don't understand that whatever they were doing on zoom was not really 'school.' Is it much better now with current behavior and teacher quality? I'd argue not really, at least in some classrooms at my children's campus. 😔