Chronic absenteeism isn't evenly spread in Florida. See where Volusia, Flagler stand.
Recent data from the Florida Department of Education shows that 30.9% of students statewide were considered chronically absent for the 2022-23 school year, a total of 987,361 students.
The Department of Education tracked absences in all 67 Florida counties as well as four university lab schools, Idea Public Schools, and deaf and blind schools — all of which were considered school districts in its report.
Of the 74 "districts" tracked for the 2022-23 school year, Volusia was the state's 45th most absent county. Flagler ranked 57th.
The Department of Education tracks absences in Florida schools by collecting both the number of students who were absent 21 or more days of school as well as the number of students who were absent 10% or more of the school year.
Generally, when students miss 10% or more of the school year, they are considered chronically absent.
Attendance Works — a nonprofit striving to promote equal educational opportunities by reducing chronic absence — noted that chronic absenteeism differs from truancy. Chronic absences include all types of absences: excused, unexcused and suspensions. Truancy, however, only includes unexcused absences.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 8 million students nationwide were considered chronically absent, according to Attendance Works. The organization indicated that this number has significantly increased in recent years, totaling at least 14.7 million students for the 2020-21 school year.
In Florida, the percentage of chronically absent students has also increased since the pandemic, hitting a high of 32.3% during the 2021-22 school year.
Volusia and Flagler counties mirrored statewide trends, dipping during the 2019-20 school year and peaking during the 2022-23 school year. Volusia County has had slightly higher rates of chronic absenteeism than the state average for the last four school years, including a rate of 32.3% for 2022-23, and Flagler County has had lower rates than the state for the last six school years. Flagler reported 27.3% in 2022-23.
Where is absenteeism highest?
Chronic absenteeism isn’t evenly spread throughout the state. Florida's rural counties report more absences.
Putnam County has the highest absenteeism rate in the state, with 55.3% of students absent 10% or more of the school year. This is followed by Jefferson, Gadsden, Franklin and Okeechobee counties — all of which are defined as rural counties by the Florida Department of Health.
Sarasota, St. John’s, Collier, Hendry and Bevard counties have some of the state’s lowest rates of absenteeism.
Where does Volusia County stand?
The Department of Education tracked 90 schools or institutions in Volusia County, which include facilities separate from the Volusia County Schools district such as the Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center and students who are homebound due to health issues, among others.
At least 25% of students were chronically absent in 62 Volusia County locations. And at least 50% of students were chronically absent in seven Volusia locations.
Of the seven schools with at least 50% of students experiencing chronic absenteeism, none were traditional schools. This suggests that some of Volusia’s most vulnerable students are getting the least amount of consistent academic support in the classroom setting.
The Chiles Academy is a charter school that serves pregnant and parenting teens as well as their children; 92.8% of students were chronically absent.
Richard Milburn Academy is a charter school that serves at-risk students in achieving academic excellence, employment success and social responsibility through nontraditional, experiential learning opportunities; 91.5% of students were chronically absent.
Highbanks Learning Center is an alternative education option which provides educational services with an emphasis on modifying behavior and social skills through a highly restrictive school environment; 88.9% of students were chronically absent.
AMIkids Volusia is an alternative education option that serves children who have committed a variety of non-violent offenses and are involved with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. AMIKids helps students achieve their potential, improve their lives and strengthen their community; 86.3% of students were chronically absent.
Riverview Learning Center is an alternative education option which provides educational services with an emphasis on modifying behavior and social skills through a highly restrictive school environment; 82.5% of students were chronically absent.
PACE Center for Girls is an alternative education option that provides academic classes, counseling and social services to girls in middle and high school; 82.4% of students were chronically absent.
Volusia Virtual Instruction is an online education option; 77.8% of students were chronically absent. According to Danielle Johnson, Volusia County Schools' director of community information, this is a "second school," meaning it is not a student's primary school. "Student attendance is not well captured," she said, "because it is a second school and student attendance was captured at their primary school."
Easter Seals Child Development Center, Daytona Beach is a charter school that strives to provide early childhood education services, autism diagnoses and functional assessments, pediatric specialty therapy interventions and family support; 50% of students were chronically absent.
Johnson noted there are many barriers impacting school attendance — "illness; transportation; mental health; homelessness; family emergencies; family dysfunctions; custody issues; lack of importance of education; concerns related to bullying; aftermath of COVID-19; food and clothing needs; and student behavior issues" — and the district is addressing this through a multi-tiered system of supports relying on efforts from the district level, schools' staff, parents and students themselves.
"The district provides all students with free breakfast and lunch; community stakeholders make donations ... to students in need; schools maintain a family center for school supplies, backpacks, clothes, shoes, academic practice tools, food pantries, etc.; connect families with school-based resources that can support attendance; involve the school nurse with follow-up on medical-related absences; change approaches to student discipline; and provide families with information on community resources that can help overcome barriers to attendance," Johnson said in an email.
She also noted that since many of the schools in Volusia County with high absenteeism rates are contracted sites or charter schools, they are "not directly under the district's purview."
The Chiles Academy, a charter school, had the highest absenteeism rate in Volusia County.
Principal Abby Ferguson noted that her school is at a "statistical disadvantage."
"Our student population includes teen parents and their children," she said in a statement. "Every one absence (parent) counts as two (baby) in the attendance record of the school."
She noted that parenting high school students face a unique set of barrier: "somatic symptoms of pregnancy; frequent doctor visits for both student and baby; lack of access to consistent transportation; lack of adequate family support for regular attendance; and the rate of part- and full-time employment among teen parents."
She also said that The Chiles Academy has organized plans in place to mitigate these factors:
Students have individual academic plans that consider their specific needs, barriers and health-care requirements.
The academy utilizes a hybrid learning model that incorporates in-person and online instruction, helping students stay on track even when they face unavoidable absences.
There is a team of outreach professionals at The Chiles Academy who keep in regular contact with absent students and their caregivers and strive to improve attendance.
Where does Flagler County stand?
As for Flagler County, 4,020 students were chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year, and at least 25% of students were chronically absent in seven schools.
Flagler-Palm Coast High: 34.8%.
Bunnell Elementary: 34.7%.
Matanzas High: 32.8%.
Imagine School at Town Center: 28.2%.
Indian Trails Middle: 27.2%.
Rymfire Elementary: 27.1%.
Lewis E. Wadsworth Elementary: 26.3%.
Don Foley, Flagler's communications coordinator, said the district recognizes the importance of attendance, as teachers produce lesson plans that rely on students being in the classroom.
"There are many factors that can attribute to student absenteeism to include illnesses both long and short term, a death in the family, unforeseen events in the home or community, a transportation issue and many other external factors that can attribute to a day of lost learning," he said in an email. "However, Flagler Schools is committed to working with our families to ensure high rates of daily attendance and to break down barriers that are preventing students from attending school. We have a team of district social workers that are ready to assist in breaking down those barriers whatever they may be.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia has higher rate of absenteeism than state average for 4 years
