Warren County Schools Work to Slay Chronic Absenteeism

Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) continue working to tackle chronic absenteeism, which also persists statewide.

Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera last fall reported that nearly one in five students in the state are missing more than 10 percent of the school year.

To help tackle the problem at the state level, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in September 2023 announced the new Chronic Absenteeism Task Force, a component of the comprehensive ALL IN VA initiative, which is a program to bolster learning recovery that’s focused on Attendance, Literacy, and Learning.

In Warren County, three of the division’s nine schools — E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School, Skyline Middle School, and Skyline High School — currently are accredited with conditions by the Virginia Board of Education due to high absenteeism rates.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, chronic absenteeism rates were 29.1 percent in Warren County, compared to the statewide average of 19.5 percent. And that was an improvement over the school year 2021-2022 rates when chronic absenteeism reached 33.2 percent in Warren County.

For the first three months of the current 2023-2024 school year, attendance in WCPS improved compared to the previous school year, according to Superintendent Christopher Ballenger, and efforts to continue that improvement are ongoing.

During the Warren County School Board’s Wednesday, April 10 meeting, Ballenger said that school attendance is essential to students’ academic success.

“Research shows that missing as little as two days every month, or 10 percent of the school year, can have a negative impact on students,” said Ballenger.

During each School Board monthly meeting, WCPS recognizes the schools that have the highest attendance and that have the most improved attendance as part of the school division’s efforts to combat chronic absenteeism.

A.S. Rhodes Elementary School Principal Lori Layman (at podium) details how the school is fighting chronic absenteeism while accepting an attendance award banner from district Superintendent Christopher Ballenger (right) during the Warren County School Board’s April 10 meeting.

A.S. Rhodes Elementary School Principal Lori Layman, whose school on Wednesday received the Elementary Attendance Award for the month of March, said daily attendance is very important.

“But that doesn’t negate chronic absenteeism, because you could still have students that have 17 or more days of absences for the year,” Layman said.

Toward reducing the problem, Layman said A.S. Rhodes has started free after-school tutoring since returning from spring break.

“We’re taking advantage of the Virginia Department of Education’s offer that we could earn back some of that time for our students with chronic absenteeism,” she said, “so we invited any students who are at that 10 percent or more of absences for the year so far to join us for free after-school tutoring on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout about mid-May.”

Thus far, about 10 to 12 students are taking up the offer, she added, noting that students in the upper grade levels may also receive tutoring after school.

“It’s been nice to have those families working alongside us,” Layman said.

She acknowledged that student illnesses do happen, and there’s always a possibility that any child might have several illnesses throughout the year, “and that does add up very quickly.”

So allowing students the opportunity to earn some of that time back and help out the school is very much appreciated, said Layman.

“We just always appreciate the partnership with our families and our students and our staff to encourage great attendance,” she said.

Holly Deaner (above), Dean of Students at Warren County Middle School, on Wednesday accepted the WCPS Secondary Attendance Award for her school for the month of March, and also discussed chronic absenteeism.

“We’re all faced with chronic absenteeism,” said Deaner, adding that earlier on Wednesday, she actually called about 20 different families regarding their 7th graders’ chronic absences.

“And we were able to offer the same program that the state has offered to us, a morning session for three days a week or an afternoon session to provide at-risk students an opportunity to have academic support,” she said.

Deaner added that Warren County Middle School works diligently to develop bonds with parents, guardians, and the community to help tackle chronic absenteeism.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of relationships. Not just with our students and with our faculty and our staff, but with our parents,” said Deaner. “Every single parent that I called today was grateful, so grateful for the opportunity and the program and for us reaching out and offering that support.

“I think that says a lot about our community, and that’s what I’m grateful for, that I feel we’re all supported, we’re all for the right purpose and the right heart,” she said. “I do think that the relationships and the trust that we build with all the stakeholders involved is what helps us get these kids to school.”

Warren County School Meeting of April 10, 2024 – Part 1

Warren County School Meeting of April 10, 2024 – Part 2