Attendance in Early Grades: Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School
Kevin Lynch
December 1, 2023
Attendance in Early Grades
Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School
Did you know
Participation in early education programs, like preschool and Head Start, lead to better attendance in kindergarten.
Starting in kindergarten, missing 10% of school (or just 2 days every month) can make it harder to learn to read and cause children to fall behind in school.
Good attendance, whether class is held in person or remotely, can help children do well in school, and eventually in the workplace.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Communicate with the School
Contact your child’s teacher(s) and let them know how to reach you.
Ask about the school’s attendance policy. Ask your child’s teacher about your child’s attendance and tell the teacher any concerns you have.
Make School Attendance a Priority
Monitor your child’s attendance and participation and contact the teacher to address any concerns.
Get and post your child’s class schedule and log in information on the refrigerator or your child’s desk.
Make sure your child gets the flu vaccine and other required shots.
•Find out if your child feels safe. Make sure that school discipline policies don’t lead to your child becoming disengaged or pushed out of school. If these are problems, work with your school to find a solution.
If your child seems bored or anxious about school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make your child feel safe and excited about learning.
Ask for help when you need it. School staff, after-school program providers, and other parents or community agencies are available to help families access online learning, obtain food or housing and address other experiences that make it difficult to attend and participate.
Help Your Child Stay Healthy and Engaged
Establish routines for bedtime, waking up and showing up for class.
Identify a quiet place for your child to do school work. If you have more than one child, make a schedule. Or ask your school or community agencies if they have created places for distance learning, or if noise-canceling headsets are available for students.
Develop back-up plans for logging in to the computer if you can’t be there. Find a family member, neighbor or older child who can help. Community-based organizations might also be able to help.
Avoid extended family trips and non-urgent medical appointments when school is in session.
