A webinar hosted yesterday by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership explored some of the connections between transportation and chronic absenteeism.
A few of the speakers emphasized one main point: When programs that support transportation are implemented, they can reduce chronic absenteeism among students.
Absenteeism is an important issue for student transporters because attendance directly affects school budgets and funding. Irregular attendance also affects the revenue school districts receive from the state lottery, and for special education.
The webinar opened with Hedy Chang, director of Attendance Works, a national and state initiative that addresses chronic absenteeism. Chang provided statistics about potential long-term detrimental effects, for example, the relationship between chronic absenteeism of high school students and their dropout rates. She then went on to explain that addressing chronic absenteeism requires a three-tier approach that starts with prevention. Chang added that transportation is part of the first tier, as an effective, functioning transportation system can deter absences by providing a way to get to school.
“Transportation is realy a tier one intervention. All children should be able to get to school safely,” she said.
The next speaker was Sara Zimmerman, technical assistance director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Among the things that Zimmerman discussed were the different barriers to transportation that students from low-income families may face. For example, if a family has an older car that constantly breaks down and needs repairs, this may affect a child’s ability to get to school, she said.
She then cited the benefits of having a walking school bus program, adding that these can help families overcome certain barriers that may impede a child from getting to school. Zimmerman added that the Lewis Lemon School in Rockford, Illinois saw a 30 percent decrease in absenteeism following the implementation of a walking school bus program.
“Daily walking school buses make the trip to school an expectation and a habit,” she said.
Another transportation program that may have helped reduce absences was the reduced bus pass program in Contra Costa County California. John Gioia, county supervisor discussed how the program came about through student advocacy and different sources of funding, such as grants and ballot measures.
“Really, the credit goes to the young people who articulated the need,” Gioia said.
Other speakers included Allyson Trenteseaux, program manager of the Providence Children’s Initiative and Jane Ogilvie, director of school support services, Erie 1 BOCES.
Click here to listen to the webinar and/or view the slides.
