LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Finding ways to keep students in the classroom. Over the course of the last school year, the Clark County School District reported nearly 40 percent of students were considered “chronically absent”.
“It may take more effort, more time this year, more partnerships to really see those numbers that we want to see,” Dr. Mike Barton, CCSD Chief College, Career and Equity Officer, said.
Numbers CCSD wants to see go down. District officials made a presentation to CCSD trustees Thursday. The district stats revealing nearly 40 percent of all students were considered chronically absent, more than double the district’s target. Anna Binder, a CCSD parent who also works with students considered truant, says there are many factors why including housing instability where students, especially very young ones may struggle just to get to campus.
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“They really have no say in ‘Hey I really want to go to school,’ but if someone in the back is telling them I’m not taking you to school, I’m not making the effort, you really can’t hold that against them,” she said.
C-c-s-d officials hope solutions might come from expanding community partnerships and renewing the Truancy Prevention Outreach Program that provides wrap around services for families in need. Binder says getting help for students starting at the elementary school level can build a positive foundation in the future.
“If you can build that skill set and the inspiration for education and achievement in the earlier years, high school should be a no-brainer,” she said.
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Binder also points out unexcused absences for students forced to be home due to mandatory COVID-19 quarantines last year were part of the tally.
“You really can’t blame the student when that happens, but the school district didn’t come up with a code to label those until the end of the year,” she said.
The numbers provided by the school district at the meeting still have to be validated by the Nevada Department of Education. Still, district officials say they don’t expect big shifts in data.
The full presentation with reported numbers can be found here.
