How to address Oklahoma's chronic school absenteeism problem
Students who have consistent attendance perform better academically. I'm encouraged by the steps that we're seeing schools and districts take locally —implementing systems to track attendance, introduce incentive programs and monitor progress. This is vital work and needs to go hand-in-hand with community investments. As the executive director of Teach For America (TFA) in Oklahoma, my colleagues and I have the opportunity to work in partnership with five districts across Oklahoma City. Here's what we are seeing work, and how you can support local students and schools:
More: Oklahoma students are missing class and failing in reading. What's happening?
Don't underestimate the power of community. When schools leverage people in their communities to lend their time and talents, everyone benefits. A recent EduTalk that we hosted on the topic of chronic absenteeism brought together Ariel O'Shields, a TFA alum and the Attendance Advocacy Coordinator of Oklahoma City Public Schools, seven different school districts and teachers, school leaders, school board members, donors and community leaders to learn from evidence-based practices that are leading to increased time in school for local students. What expertise or time can you lend to your local school community?
Invest in mentorship programs. Students are more motivated in school when they have strong role models. Teach For America's Ignite Fellowship is a tutoring corps designed to accelerate learning and foster belonging with students through high dosage tutoring. Fellows are bolstering academic outcomes for students and adding capacity for teachers while building relationships that increase student engagement. At Thelma Parks Elementary, 72% of third- and fourth-graders who received proficient or advanced scores on their state tests were involved in Ignite. At Santa Fe South Spero Upper Elementary School, 100% of second-grade students who entered third grade at or above grade level were a part of Ignite. Students have positive relationships with their tutors, which we know leads to increased attendance and learning. Contact your local school to see if they have a tutoring program you can support.
More: Poor math and reading skills in our public schools must improve — and quickly | Opinion
Give teachers the resources they need to prioritize time with students. What this can look like is providing professional development that strengthens instructional quality and student engagement — teachers have more capacity to focus on student work and relationships. Through our partnership I saw firsthand how Harding Charter Preparatory Middle School at Independence made strategic changes like increasing principal presence in classrooms to provide coaching for teachers, so that teachers could invest more in their students. As a result, the school saw student chronic absenteeism rates drop by 45%. Advocate for your local districts to receive the funding they need to invest in their greatest resources — students and teachers.
Provide wraparound support to students. We know there are often many obstacles that keep students from regularly attending school. For example, research shows a correlation between kids having access to clean clothes and increased attendance, which is why we partner with Whirlpool, who installs washers and dryers in schools in Oklahoma. You don't need to be a large company to help though — donations of clean clothes, nutritious snacks, and supplies are needed by most school communities and when a student knows that their school is equipped to meet some of their basic needs, that can make a real difference in their ability to attend school.
I have witnessed Oklahoma City rise and rally when we face challenges, which gives me confidence that we can come together to ensure every child achieves meaningful academic outcomes that they desire and deserve. Everyone has a part to play. Volunteer or substitute at a school, come to an EduTalk, or support a program. When Oklahoma's children succeed, we all succeed.
Sarah Park is the executive director of Teach For America Oklahoma.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Here's what works to get more students into the classroom | Opinion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Chicago nonprofit Ignite helping youth experiencing homelessness rebuild their lives
Chicago students are getting ready to go back to school soon, but if you don't have a home, getting good grades is even tougher. A Chicago nonprofit called Ignite gives kids experiencing homelessness the foundation to launch their future lives. Using an orange mobile outreach van, Ignite travels around the city to bring services to young people experiencing homelessness. "Anything from information on what we can to for them to our safe sex kits to our hygiene packs to our food. We can pass out all those things right here," said Ignite director of outreach and prevention Chineze Mogbo. It's a way to reach kids who need help, especially since they say it's often difficult to tell their friends, teachers, or others in their lives that they're struggling with homelessness. "We help them move from survival to resilience," said Ignite president and CEO Stephanie Piccirilli. "We work with them one on one to find out what they need to rebuild their life and move forward so that they can grow into a young adult and thrive." Ignite started in 1976, after Congress passed a law providing funding to help runaway youth. "We were able to be funded through that act, and start out doing street outreach. We had an office in the Greyhound bus station," Piccirilli said. The organization has grown a lot since then, now helping around 700 young people every year, and not just with housing. "Ignite's a place where you can be very comfortable. … It feels like a normal environment for teenagers and young adults," said Saniah Perry, who attended the Sparks program at Ignite, which helps people prepare for their careers. "Not only did it give me a job, but it gave me friends. Last summer, when I was working at Sparks, I was very reserved and I didn't really want to leave my house … and Sparks gave me an outlet to go outside every day to talk to people, to learn more about other people, and not just only be inside yourself." After being part of Ignite, Perry and others like her are prepared for a brighter future.
CBS News
07-08-2025
- CBS News
Chicago Leo High School students welcomed back by alumni on first day
Leo High School in Auburn Gresham returned to school on Thursday for the school's 99th year. The 270 students were greeted by two long lines of alumni and a marching band for a years-long tradition The alumni then joined the freshman class for a continental breakfast in the cafeteria. the school's principal told students they have a lot to be excited about this year. "All of a sudden, young men on the south side have a national presence, they have a sense of agency, they have a sense of purpose, and we want to bring that sense of pride to them," Principal Shaka Rawls said. Also on Chicago's South Side, the nonprofit "Ignite" is hosting a back-to-school event this afternoon in Bronzeville. Chicago-area families are invited to visit the Rosenwald Courts courtyard until 4 p.m. for free school supplies, food, activities, and access to local services. This event also kicks off the organization's year-long 50th anniversary celebration.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
How to address Oklahoma's chronic school absenteeism problem
Every child in Oklahoma deserves an excellent education. Research shows that our students aren't learning at the rate they need to. As a community we owe it to our kids to do better, and we have to start by looking at why 20% of Oklahoma students are chronically absent from school. Students who have consistent attendance perform better academically. I'm encouraged by the steps that we're seeing schools and districts take locally —implementing systems to track attendance, introduce incentive programs and monitor progress. This is vital work and needs to go hand-in-hand with community investments. As the executive director of Teach For America (TFA) in Oklahoma, my colleagues and I have the opportunity to work in partnership with five districts across Oklahoma City. Here's what we are seeing work, and how you can support local students and schools: More: Oklahoma students are missing class and failing in reading. What's happening? Don't underestimate the power of community. When schools leverage people in their communities to lend their time and talents, everyone benefits. A recent EduTalk that we hosted on the topic of chronic absenteeism brought together Ariel O'Shields, a TFA alum and the Attendance Advocacy Coordinator of Oklahoma City Public Schools, seven different school districts and teachers, school leaders, school board members, donors and community leaders to learn from evidence-based practices that are leading to increased time in school for local students. What expertise or time can you lend to your local school community? Invest in mentorship programs. Students are more motivated in school when they have strong role models. Teach For America's Ignite Fellowship is a tutoring corps designed to accelerate learning and foster belonging with students through high dosage tutoring. Fellows are bolstering academic outcomes for students and adding capacity for teachers while building relationships that increase student engagement. At Thelma Parks Elementary, 72% of third- and fourth-graders who received proficient or advanced scores on their state tests were involved in Ignite. At Santa Fe South Spero Upper Elementary School, 100% of second-grade students who entered third grade at or above grade level were a part of Ignite. Students have positive relationships with their tutors, which we know leads to increased attendance and learning. Contact your local school to see if they have a tutoring program you can support. More: Poor math and reading skills in our public schools must improve — and quickly | Opinion Give teachers the resources they need to prioritize time with students. What this can look like is providing professional development that strengthens instructional quality and student engagement — teachers have more capacity to focus on student work and relationships. Through our partnership I saw firsthand how Harding Charter Preparatory Middle School at Independence made strategic changes like increasing principal presence in classrooms to provide coaching for teachers, so that teachers could invest more in their students. As a result, the school saw student chronic absenteeism rates drop by 45%. Advocate for your local districts to receive the funding they need to invest in their greatest resources — students and teachers. Provide wraparound support to students. We know there are often many obstacles that keep students from regularly attending school. For example, research shows a correlation between kids having access to clean clothes and increased attendance, which is why we partner with Whirlpool, who installs washers and dryers in schools in Oklahoma. You don't need to be a large company to help though — donations of clean clothes, nutritious snacks, and supplies are needed by most school communities and when a student knows that their school is equipped to meet some of their basic needs, that can make a real difference in their ability to attend school. I have witnessed Oklahoma City rise and rally when we face challenges, which gives me confidence that we can come together to ensure every child achieves meaningful academic outcomes that they desire and deserve. Everyone has a part to play. Volunteer or substitute at a school, come to an EduTalk, or support a program. When Oklahoma's children succeed, we all succeed. Sarah Park is the executive director of Teach For America Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Here's what works to get more students into the classroom | Opinion
