Riverside Unified School District Provides Resources and Support for Student Attendance

Phyllis Kimber Wilcox

Truancy rates for students in the state of California and across the country are again an area of concern.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators, parents, government officials, and community organizations have diligently tracked the effects of chronic absenteeism on student achievement. Chronic absenteeism, involving missing ten percent or more of the school year, has persistently raised concerns among educators, presenting challenges both academically and financially. School districts rely on student attendance for funding, and academic success, another crucial metric, has consistently demonstrated a correlation with attendance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators, parents, government officials, and community organizations have diligently tracked the effects of chronic absenteeism on student achievement. Chronic absenteeism, involving missing ten percent or more of the school year, has persistently raised concerns among educators, presenting challenges both academically and financially. School districts rely on student attendance for funding, and academic success, another crucial metric, has consistently demonstrated a correlation with attendance.

According to the Brookings Institute, “Physically being present in school is one of the most basic conditions for a student’s success – if students are not in school, they are not learning what is being taught and could be falling behind in earning the course credits needed to graduate.”

Mixed Picture Since Onset of Pandemic 

The picture of chronic absenteeism is mixed. Recent student assessment scores show academic improvement over pandemic levels especially among some of the state’s oldest and youngest students who, according to the organization Policy Analysis for California Education or PACE, a non-partisan policy institute that partners with governmental institutions to create public  policy. 

When discussing the latest academic achievement indicators, California State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammon stated, ‘These results suggest that California’s public schools are beginning to turn the corner on pandemic recovery, with gains on most assessments and a substantial reduction in chronic absenteeism, especially for our most vulnerable groups of students.’ 

While some indicators are positive, others are still being assessed.

Pandemic Raised Additional Concerns

According to the nonprofit news organization EdSource, an analysis of 30 districts statewide, shows that nearly a third of public school students were chronically absent, — meaning that as of late March, they had missed 10% or more of the school year. That’s slightly lower than the same point last year.  

However, chronic absenteeism is still considerably higher than before the pandemic began:

Chronic Absenteeism in California’s Schools

RUSD addresses the issue

This has prompted action by school districts around the country to develop tools to address the ongoing issue of chronic absenteeism. 

At Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), a dedicated group of education professionals are actively addressing the truancy crisis. They are committed to fostering collaboration among students, parents, and the community, working together to ensure that students are present in school and prepared for learning.

They have achieved success with the district’s Attendance Matters: Showing Up Together Campaign. A powerful initiative that motivates students to attend school by not only recognizing outstanding attendance but also celebrating improvement. Awards are given to students with the most improved attendance rates, focusing on those who were chronically absent. Additionally, special recognition is extended to English learners, students with disabilities, and children in foster care who demonstrate significant improvement in attendance. This comprehensive approach underlines the district’s commitment to fostering a culture of attendance and inclusivity.

Another way RUSD addresses the importance of school attendance is through the RUSD Foundation which works with volunteers and community nonprofit organizations to enhance the learning experience and ensure students’ academic and artistic success.

RUSD makes important attendance resources readily available to students and parents:

Attendance Resources and Information Page

The district’s attendance resources and information page provides news and information on the district’s attendance policies as well as community resources.

RUSD Foundation  

Provides educational enhancement for students through district and community engagement.

The Black Voice News spoke with district representatives about the situation, what the district sees as important to addressing the issue and where the district currently stands regarding absenteeism. The conversation included Tim Walker, Deputy Superintendent and Raul Ayala, Director of Pupil Services.

Studies show that some of the most vulnerable students are those who are not attending school regularly. Students considered habitual truants or who have an excessive number of absences are subject to closer monitoring as part of the School Attendance Review Team (SART) process. During SART, parents of chronically absent students work with school professionals to determine the cause of the problem in order  to assist in providing the help a family needs to be successful. If chronic absence continues however, students can be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) for a  hearing. If there is still no improvement, SARB may  refer the case to the court.

RUSD extends support 

RUSD provides students with support and it is working. Its  latest attendance results are considerably above the national average with a 95.95 attendance rate, as good as any before the pandemic.

Families can get attendance and contact information on the attendance resources and information page. Families may also visit the district webpage to get the information they need about news, events, meetings and special programs. , the latest news on COVID-19, distance learning, classes for students who cannot attend school directly and board meetings, as well as news regarding important events on the district’s website.

Stay connected with RUSD through social media via RUSD Instagram and RUSD Facebook. 

A previous version of this article did not include clarity of information on the Attendance Campaign, misidentified school representative who spoke with the reporter and, provided inaccurate information about resources and misattributed the comment about superpower.