State officials continue to explore solutions to chronic absenteeism. The Kentucky Department of Education recently discussed different technology resources that can be utilized by schools.
David Couch, Associate Commissioner of the KDE and K-12 Chief Information Officer said the problem is becoming increasingly prevalent and it’s usually not the student’s choice to skip.
He said in addition to the consequences of missing out on the learning journey, their absence can present problems for schools.
“Everyone knows the funding formula for schools is based upon attendance. And if you have a very high percentage of students that are chronically absent, that means that you have a significant reduction in your funds,” said Couch.
Couch said one thing the department is doing to help fix this problem is investing energy into building school culture and community through different programs, namely the Student Technology Leadership Program, or STLP.
STLP teaches students everything from robotics to newscasting. Couch added that while this is a step in the right direction, it’s not a complete solution.
“We all have a role in trying to help out with the reduction of that, and education technology may play a smaller role than other parts, but I do think it takes a team effort to address this across the board,” said Couch,
KDE defines a student as chronically absent if they have missed more than 10 percent of the time enrolled in school. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. Officials reported chronic absenteeism affects nearly 30 percent of students across the Commonwealth each year.