What Is It?

There is universal agreement that the increasing academic expectations for students require that students be in school.  Elementary absenteeism is a strong predictor of absenteeism in middle and high school, which in turn is a predictor of high school dropout and ensuing problems in later life. Research shows that truancy also correlates with drug use and with daytime burglary. 

Schools and communities throughout the state and nation are increasingly focusing on improving school attendance beginning in the lower grades.  In order to minimize unnecessary absences throughout the grade levels, Santa Cruz County is adopting a countywide focus on reducing elementary absences.

Absenteeism is the number of students who are not in class on any given day.  Because of the way the State collects and reports attendance, it is currently difficult to compare data across districts, and with recent changes in state law, comparable data are not available prior to 1998.

In October 2000, the school districts in Santa Cruz County agreed to a countywide standard for collecting and reporting attendance data, which will be available beginning this year. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) has compiled the data below.

Actual Elementary School Attendance (PVUSD)

• Note: Nine elementary schools are grades K-5, six elementary schools are grades K-6.

• Source: Child Welfare and Attendance Office, Pajaro Valley Unified School District.

Story Behind the Trend

Increased attendance is good for student achievement and for district finances as well.  Schools receive state funding based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA).

 In July 1998, a new state law changed the financial incentives for school attendance.  Prior to 1998, ADA provided the same funding for students with an "excused absence" (such as illness) as students present in the classroom.  Beginning in 1998, ADA includes only actual attendance, so schools have a financial incentive to increase the number of students in school. 

This prompted PVUSD to focus on increasing attendance through site-level incentives and public campaigns.  These strategies are paying off with reduced absenteeism.