Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have noticed a steady decline in attendance rates among all grade levels. This is not something that is only affecting Republic, but is a nationwide issue. The national chronic absenteeism rate has skyrocketed since the pandemic, from 16% in 2019 to an estimated 33% in 2022. When students miss school, they are missing out on vital learning experiences, which support their academic and social-emotional development.

In the graph, you will see proportional attendance rates for each grade level across the Republic School District from the 2018-2019 school year in comparison to the 2022-2023 school year. Each grade saw a significant decrease from pre-pandemic levels. The largest was among 11th grade students, with a 9.85% drop from 2018-2019 to 2022-2023.

Note: "Proportional" attendance rates represent the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's model for awarding attendance points in its accountability model, the Annual Performance Report (APR). The district is not scored based on grade-levels, but as an entire district. Each building in the district is also scored.

Through foundational lessons of math, reading and writing, Early Childhood and elementary students develop key skills that they will build on as they continue through their education.

Did you know? When a student misses school two days per month, they will miss 20 days of school per year, including at least 30 hours of math and 60 hours of reading/writing instruction. In addition, students who miss two days of school per month will miss more than one year of school by the time they graduate. Those numbers are doubled for students who miss four days per month.

For our younger learners, missed school days add up quickly when considering the impact of a student's educational foundation.

In the graph, we have provided a comparison between Republic High School students' Grade Point Average as it relates to their attendance rate. RHS students who had 100-98% attendance had an average GPA of 3.44. As attendance rates decline, so do GPAs. This chart further reflects the importance of being present at school on a regular basis, as it directly correlates to a student's academic achievement.

In addition, we know that students who graduate from our high school will move on to further their education at a college, university or trade school. Some may transition directly into the workforce. Regardless of their path after graduation, attendance will be vital. As we encourage strong attendance, we support our students in their development of good habits for whatever their future holds.

The state of Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education aims for 90% of students to be in school 90% of the time. In Republic, however, the district aims to have 95% attendance for all students throughout the year.

In the school year calendar, we have 170 days of school. If a student misses just five days throughout the year, they'll have 97% attendance. At 17 days missed, that rate drops to 90%. See the graph for more.

As families prepare for the busy school year ahead, the Republic School District has created a calendar of "ideal dates" for families to schedule appointments or vacations. The calendar is also available for download here.

Note: The highlighted days on the "ideal dates" calendar indicate days the district is already closed or not holding classes due to breaks, School Improvement Days or holidays. Therefore, students who have an appointment or scheduled vacation on these days will not miss any learning opportunities.

While we know the importance of students being in school, we also want to create a safe and healthy learning environment. We understand absences may be required due to illness. We have created a Wellness Checklist, which is available for download here, for families to utilize when considering any symptoms their student might be experiencing before heading to school.

Students should stay home if they have a persistent cough, temperature over 100 degrees, vomiting or diarrhea, pink or crusty eyes, or instructions from a doctor to stay away from others. Students can head to school if they have been without any of these symptoms for 24 hours. We also welcome students who have a runny nose or slight cough, but no other symptoms. These are the procedures by which the Republic School District operated through its wellness policy before the COVID-19 pandemic, and has continued to emphasize in the years since.

If a student is sick and unable to come to school, families should notify their building's front office as soon as possible.

The Republic School District cares about the mental well-being of our students, and we have learned that students who miss school actually tend to feel more anxious and stressed due to falling being. Families can help lower stress on students by encouraging attendance when students aren't sick.

The graph shows the monthly change in attendance data for the entire district from the 2022-2023 to the 2023-2024 school year. As noted by the arrows, the graph shows that February was the only month this school year that attendance dropped in comparison to last year, for both Average Daily Attendance and Proportional Attendance tracking measurements. We will continue to update this graph throughout the school year and share the results each month.

We know missed school days mean missed learning opportunities. We are excited to see that, with the exception of February, students have been increasingly present in their classrooms throughout the school year to continue growing academically and personally! As we finish the year, we look forward to seeing more progress as students and families prioritize learning through regular attendance.