Fewer Black Students Missing School as Attendance Slowly Rebounds – Word In Black

Report on Chronic Absenteeism and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent analysis of post-pandemic educational trends reveals a nationwide decrease in chronic absenteeism rates in K-12 schools. A report from EdTrust, a non-profit organization focused on educational equity, indicates that with sustained strategic interventions, states could potentially halve their 2022-2023 absenteeism rates by the 2027-2028 academic year. This issue is critically linked to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning quality education, reduced inequalities, and student well-being.

Chronic Absenteeism as a Barrier to SDG 4: Quality Education

High rates of chronic absenteeism, defined as missing at least 18 days of school, present a direct challenge to the fulfillment of SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The consequences of persistent absenteeism undermine key targets of this goal.

• Impediment to Learning: Students who are chronically absent are less likely to graduate and more likely to struggle academically and socially, directly conflicting with SDG Target 4.1 to ensure all children complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education.
• Reduced Educational Outcomes: The disruption in learning hinders the acquisition of foundational knowledge and skills, impacting lifelong learning opportunities.

Addressing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities in Education

The data on chronic absenteeism reveals significant disparities, highlighting a critical challenge to SDG 10, which calls for reducing inequality within and among countries. The disproportionate impact on Black students underscores the need for targeted policies to ensure equal opportunity and outcomes.

Disproportionate Absenteeism Rates (2022-2023)

• Black students: 37%
• Hispanic students: 33%
• White students: 22%

Root Causes Linked to Systemic Inequalities

Experts identify several interconnected challenges that contribute to these disparities, which must be addressed to achieve SDG 10.

• Lack of transportation
• Food insecurity
• Poverty
• Inequitable disciplinary practices, such as suspensions
• Lack of school engagement

An Interconnected Approach: Linking Education to Broader SDGs

The report emphasizes that addressing absenteeism requires a holistic strategy that recognizes the interplay between education and other fundamental development goals. Effective solutions must integrate efforts related to multiple SDGs.

• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Interventions must address economic hardship and food insecurity as primary drivers of absenteeism.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The provision of wraparound services and mental health support is essential for creating a supportive environment that enables consistent school attendance.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Reforming school disciplinary policies to be more equitable and just is crucial for fostering inclusive educational institutions.

Strategic Interventions and Progress Towards SDG Targets

The EdTrust report outlines a series of recommended actions that align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. States that have implemented these strategies are showing progress toward the five-year absenteeism reduction goal.

1. Early Interventions: Proactively informing students and parents about the risks associated with missing school.
2. Academic Support: Providing resources such as after-school tutoring to help students stay engaged and on track.
3. Wraparound Services: Implementing comprehensive support systems that address students’ mental, physical, and social well-being, in line with SDG 3.
4. Data Monitoring: Collecting and analyzing attendance data to effectively target resources and interventions toward the most vulnerable student populations, a key practice for achieving equitable outcomes under SDG 4 and SDG 10.

States including Alabama, California, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia have demonstrated progress by adopting one or more of these recommendations.

Conclusion

While chronic absenteeism rates remain a significant concern, the observed decline demonstrates that targeted, equity-focused strategies are effective. Addressing this issue is fundamental not only to educational recovery but also to making substantive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. The gradual but positive trend indicates that strategic investments in student support systems can successfully advance the global commitment to quality education (SDG 4) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10), ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The article’s central theme is chronic absenteeism in K-12 schools, which directly impacts the quality and continuity of education.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – The article explicitly highlights the racial disparities in chronic absenteeism, noting that Black students are disproportionately affected compared to their white and Hispanic peers.
• SDG 1: No Poverty – Poverty is identified as one of the root causes contributing to higher rates of chronic absenteeism among students.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article mentions the importance of addressing students’ mental health through wraparound services as a strategy to reduce absenteeism.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
  • The article directly addresses this target by focusing on chronic absenteeism, a major barrier to completing secondary education. It states that “Black students who are chronically absent from school are less likely to graduate.” The efforts to reduce absenteeism are aimed at ensuring students remain in school to complete their education.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
  • The article’s focus on the disproportionate share of Black students who are chronically absent (37% compared to 22% of white students) directly relates to this target. The recommendations aim to create a more inclusive educational environment that addresses the specific challenges faced by Black students, thereby promoting their social inclusion and equal opportunity in education.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action.
  • The article mentions that Black students face challenges including “suspensions and lack of school engagement.” This points to disciplinary policies and school environment issues that can lead to unequal outcomes. The call to analyze disciplinary policies and practices aligns with the goal of ensuring equal opportunity.

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
  • The article identifies “poverty” as a key root cause of chronic absenteeism. By implication, addressing student absenteeism requires tackling the underlying issue of poverty that affects students and their families, which connects directly to this target.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
  • The article supports this target by highlighting the recommendation to use “wraparound services that address students’ mental health” as a crucial intervention to curb absenteeism. This shows a direct link between promoting mental well-being and improving educational outcomes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Chronic absenteeism rates: This is the primary indicator used throughout the article. It is defined as “missing at least 18 days of school.” The article provides specific data points, such as the national rate and its breakdown by race for the 2022-2023 school year (“Black students made up about 37% of students nationwide who were chronically absent… compared to around 22% of white students and 33% of Hispanic students”). This directly measures school attendance and can be disaggregated to track inequalities (SDG 10).
• School attendance data: The article emphasizes the need for states to “monitor school attendance data” to effectively direct resources. This data serves as a fundamental indicator for tracking progress in reducing absenteeism (SDG 4).
• Graduation rates: The article implies this as an indicator by stating that chronically absent students are “less likely to graduate.” Therefore, an increase in graduation rates, particularly among disproportionately affected groups, would indicate progress toward Target 4.1.
• Measures of academic and social struggle: The article notes that absent students are “more likely to struggle academically and socially.” While not quantified, this suggests that metrics like test scores, grade-level proficiency, and social-emotional learning assessments could be used as indicators to measure the impact of improved attendance.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wordinblack.com