So fast forward to this year and conversations we have about the importance of students being here or else…I can’t help but wonder if this applies to all students, I mean, let’s face it, there are students that cruise through school no matter how many challenges we throw their way. And on the flip side there are also students who hit every bump in the road even when they are here. So is being present in school enough to spell success? Or is it just one more factor that can lead down a certain path? I think I know the answer here, that it is just one factor that can lead to success, but then what is behind our thinking and our obsession with students coming to school? Why do we get so stuck on attendance with some students but not with others?
Does Absence Make the Student Grow Dumber? Or Is That Only For Certain Students?
As I wrap up the year I have been tallying absences for my students with some notable surprises. Wow, that kid was absent that much, I would have never known… Or, wow, that kid hardly missed and yet they didn’t grow as much as I would have thought. This end of year project reminds me of a student I had once that missed more than 20% of the year and yet still succeeded academically. How was this even possible? He was a fast thinker, had parent support, and probably didn’t miss out on that much, which yes, is a total indictment of how I used to teach.
Pernille Ripp 
I think you hit on the answer already. Attendance is more important for some than others. When a student who needs support in their learning isn't present, it spells trouble, especially if there is a lack of structure at home causing the absences.
The absences are rarely the problem, it is the reason why the student misses that is the real issue. If a student took off a month to tour Europe, it would be really hard to argue they are losing more than they are gaining. On the other hand, if a student misses a month because their single parent mom or dad can't get a babysitter for their younger sibling we would say they are missing out on really important educational objectives. Funny how we react to opportunities versus needs sometimes….
I am in a middle school. Please tell me what a student will miss if he missed 3 mos of 8th grade. For the life of me I don't know. Math is all I can come up with. He would not be able to pick up math at the expected 9th grade lvl. Otherwise, he would have missed some history facts, he would have missed some grammar lesson. (Did you know that research shows- focusing on grammar makes writing worse), Science? Not the ways schools teach science- there is very little science in our middle school sciences (and we are considered a gr8 school). My kid is one of those kids that engages in things that make him think and create, but he does it all out of school. In school he just "sits there and writes stuff."
Paul, perhaps that is what i am started to think about more and more; how can we provide an education that is deeply meaningful and relevant so that students truly do miss out on vital information when they are gone?
Pernille,I would agree with Will in terms of why the student is missing the school as being a key indicator. The other thing that I think of is the school is no longer the sole dispenser of knowledge or in control learning. Kids can learn in so many ways that are outside of the school and in some cases more authentic ways. Although I suspect the answer to your question is the same as the answer to the question of how does anyone learn…not an easy answer.