Hola, ¡Feliz jueves to everyone!
“Education is the key to unlock a golden door of freedom.” — George Washington Carver
A recent report found that the silver state’s academic performance nationally ranks towards the bottom of the 50 states. That’s not surprising, considering our public schools are among the most poorly funded in the country.
One way local officials are trying to ensure our kids get the education they deserve is by addressing chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing 10 percent or more of enrolled school days for any reason (excused or unexcused). During the 2022-23 school year, CCSD reported that it had chronic absenteeism rates of 36 percent. Chronically absent students are less likely to be academically successful and more likely to drop out of school. Every day a student misses school, they miss 371 minutes of instruction.
The CCSD School Board of Trustees and Superintendent Jesús F. Jara recently launched the “Every Day Matters” campaign. In order to ensure more kids are attending class regularly, schools will ensure families receive regular notices regarding student absences, including setting up home visits for students at risk of chronic absenteeism. The district, meanwhile, plans to offer additional support, including expanding after-school activities.
Therein lies the importance of parents staying involved in their children’s education, regardless of the age of the student. The Parent Leadership Team (PLT), an organization led by Selene Lozada, invites the community to join the conversation with CCSD Trustees Linda Cavazos, Lisa Guzmán and Brenda Zamora this Saturday, Jan. 13 from Noon-2 p.m. to find solutions to end this problem.
