Vermont Implements New Legislation to Combat Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism occurs when students miss at least 10% of the academic year, equating to approximately 20 days away from school.

Schools in Vermont are still facing challenges in bringing students back into the educational system nearly four years after the onset of the pandemic. Chronic absenteeism occurs when students miss at least 10% of the academic year, equating to approximately 20 days away from school. Prior to the pandemic in the 2019-2020 school year, the rate of chronic absenteeism was recorded at 18% statewide. This figure surged to 42% during the 2021-2022 school year, marking the first full academic year after reopening. Although the rate has seen some improvement, it remained at 25% for the current 2023-24 school year.

In an effort to address these ongoing concerns, Governor Phil Scott recently enacted a bill inspired by initiatives from the Maple Run Unified School District in St. Albans. The district's Superintendent, Bill Kimball, emphasized the importance of social interactions in learning, asserting that collaborative learning in subjects such as math and science fosters deeper understanding.

Various factors contribute to student absences, encompassing transportation issues, health concerns, and family-related matters. Kimball noted that since the shift to remote learning during the pandemic, the community's expectation for daily school attendance has diminished. He remarked on the difficulty in reinstating this expectation, stressing that chronic absenteeism can adversely affect educational outcomes and academic performance.

In the Maple Run District, 25% of students were categorized as chronically absent this school year, with parental excuses accounting for half of these absences. To confront this issue, the district has initiated home visits from staff to engage with families and encourage consistent attendance among students.

The new legislation establishes a standardized approach for all school districts in Vermont, encouraging them to adopt methods similar to those successfully implemented in Maple Run. Education Secretary Zoie Saunders highlighted the significance of proactive measures to address attendance before students fall behind. While there remains a focus on truancy enforcement as a last resort, the legislation promotes a broader strategy aimed at tackling the root causes of absenteeism.

Additionally, the bill has broadened the criteria for what constitutes an excused absence, permitting parents to request time off for reasons such as vacations or participation in private sports leagues.