September is Attendance Awareness Month! With the school year underway, it’s important that students are in class every day, ready to learn. When children don’t show up for school regularly, they miss out on critical classroom instruction. Research shows children who were chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade were less likely to read proficiently at the end of third grade. And absences add up! Just two days out of school a month (about 18 days a year) adds up to 10 percent of the school year missed!

Here are steps your family can take to keep school absences at a minimum:

1. Ensure your student has required immunizations on the first day of school.

3. Don’t permit missing school unless your child has a contagious illness.

4. Avoid medical appointments on school days when possible.

5. Avoid vacations and extended trips when school is in session.

6. Discuss the link between chronic absence and school success with older children.

Learn more about the long-term negative effects of #ChronicAbsence.