Understanding School Attendance Problems (SAPs)

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2022), approximately 27% of all Utah students are chronically absent from school and students with disabilities are 36% more likely to be chronically absent than their peers without a disability (SY2022 data). With many children struggling to attend school regularly, this can hurt their learning, friendships, and future opportunities. SAPs include issues like missing a lot of school (chronic absenteeism), skipping school without permission (truancy), or avoiding school because of anxiety or depression (school refusal). Many factors, such as mental or physical health challenges, bullying, family stress, or issues with school safety can impact school attendance. Big life changes, like moving or switching schools, can make things worse. It’s important to address these problems early to avoid long-term effects like dropping out or missing out on opportunities.

How Parents Can Help

Parents can help by talking to their children to understand why they don’t want to go to school and working with teachers or counselors to solve problems. Setting up consistent bedtime and morning routines can make school attendance easier. If there are bigger issues like bullying, anxiety, or family challenges, parents can reach out to school staff or community resources for support. Communicating openly about concerns and asking for help, like transportation or mental health services, can make a big difference in helping kids get back to school regularly.

Additional Resources:

• School Avoidance and Refusal
• Coping Strategies for School Anxiety
• Empowering Struggling Students Through Special Education 
• Bullying Signs and Supports
• Sample Behavior Intervention Plan for Poor Attendance
• Improving Attendance and Absenteeism in Schools: PBIS
• Improving Attendance in Remote Learning Environments: PBIS
• Looking at the “Why” with Absenteeism & Truancy for Students with a Functional Behavioral Assessment

References:

U.S. Department of Education. (2024). Supporting Student Attendance and Combating Chronic Absenteeism In Our Nation’s Schools.  https://www.ed.gov/chronic-absenteeism