Effects

 

The Role of Parents in School Absenteeism

Parents often aren’t aware of how much school their child is missing over the course of the school year. A missed day here and there may not seem like a big deal compared to missing several days in a row. But a few days every month can quickly add up to a lot of missed school in a year.

Parents may think that if their child does the class work at home, it doesn’t matter that he missed the instruction. They may also believe that regular attendance isn’t as crucial in the earlier grades. Because of that, parents may be less hesitant to keep their child home from school.

Low-income students are more likely to miss school for other reasons. These include health care issues, unstable housing and transportation problems.