Chronic absenteeism — when students miss 50% or more of an instructional day for any reason and for at least 10% of any given period of time — caused Kershaw County School District (KCSD) students to lose a total of more than 270,600 hours of instructional time during the 2022-23 school year. Although that translated into fewer chronically absent students than during the previous school year (2021-22), it is a problem the district continues to tackle.
The Kershaw County Board of School Trustees will hear about the issue as a presentation from KCSD Chief Academic Officer Dan Matthews during the board’s meeting today.
According to an advance view of the presentation materials, 20.7% of all district students were deemed chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year, based on a student population at the time of nearly 11,200 students who missed at least 18 days or more of instruction time during the entire school year and 6.5 hours of instruction per day.
The 20.7% figure is the same as during the 2020-21 school year, and down from 24.9% during the 2021-22 school year. The historical data, broken down among elementary, middle, and high school students, shows:
• Elementary school students — 14.1% chronic absentees during 2020-21, 20.4% during 2021-22, and 17.4% during 2022-23.
• Middle school students — 22.6% during 2020-21, 25.9% during 2021-22, and 24.6% during 2022-23.
• High school students — 28.8% during 2020-21, 30.7% during 2021-22; and 22.4% during 2022-23
Using the 10% rule, chronic absenteeism is further defined as being absent for four days during the first 40 days of school, nine days during the first 90 days, 13 for the first 130 days, and the 18 days for the full 180 days of school.
So far for the current 2023-24 school year, 24.1% of elementary school students have been chronically absent, 26% of middle school students, and 22% of high school students, for a district year-to-date percentage of 23.9%. The report also notes that, from a geographic standpoint, the Lugoff-Elgin area as the lowest chronic absenteeism to date this school year at 21%. The Camden area shows 23.2% chronic absenteeism so far this school year, while the North Central area is experiencing 32.6% chronic absenteeism.
Matthews’ report will get into strategies to combat the problem, and how validation — the ability to make up missed instruction — would work for high school students. That part of the report notes that in a semester block class, the S.C. Department of Education allows students to miss five days for any reason. After the fifth absence, however, an absence can only be excused if it fits into one of the following categories:
• Medically excused by a medical professional.
• Bereavement of a close family member.
• Recognized religious holiday.
• A principal-excused absence for activities such as a field trip.
Matthews will also present the final report from Cognia, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that accredits primary and secondary school throughout the U.S. and internationally. Cognia standards are expressed on a 4.0 scale, with 4.0 being the highest. According to an advance look at Matthews’ presentation, the district scored 4.0 in many of the categories, and still scoring higher than the Cognia Network in several areas where it did not score a 4.0. This has resulted in the district attaining full accreditation status.
In other business, trustees will consider adding EF High School Exchange Year to the district’s approved list of student exchange organizations. EF is based in Cambridge, Mass.
Trustees will also receive an update on the S.C. School Boards Association Legislative Advocacy and Delegate Assembly conferences, and enter executive session to discuss employment matters.
Today’s meeting will begin one-half hour later than normal, at 6:30 p.m., at the district’s offices, 2029 West DeKalb St. in Camden, and is open to the public. It can also be watched live by visiting www.kscdschools.net/live.
