A new school Attendance and Engagement Strategy establishes expectations and goals in order to reverse years of declining attendance.
These are the following:
Increase the number of kids who attend school on a regular basis from 60% in 2021 to 70% in 2024. (and 75 percent in 2026)
Reduce the number of moderately absent pupils from 8.5 percent in 2021 to 6 percent in 2024. (and 4 percent in 2026)
Reduce the percentage of children who are chronically absent from 7.7% in 2021 to 5% in 2024. (and 3 percent in 2026)
New targets for responding to unexplained absences are also being developed, with a focus on school notice to whanau on the day of absence and further school action if the absence continues.
Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti stated today that the government is taking steps to reverse years of declining school attendance, with a goal of at least 70% of children routinely attending class by 2024.
“It is critical that New Zealand children and young people attend school and receive the education they require to prepare for a successful future. However, a large number of people aren’t, and this initiative hopes to change that,” Jan Tinetti said.
“It lays the groundwork for a nationwide program to increase attendance and engagement, ensuring that children and teenagers are present, engaging, and progressing.”
School attendance is a long-term issue, and many people will be astonished to learn that it has been steadily falling since 2015.”
COVID-19 has accelerated the trend, which currently stands at roughly 60% of pupils showing up 90% of the time – or nine out of ten days.
We must ensure that, as the pandemic progresses, children are encouraged to return to school and that their communities support them in doing so. There are a variety of reasons why students fail to attend class, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Regular attendance is a community-wide problem that has to be addressed.
This model encourages the development of evidence-based local solutions by individuals who are most familiar with their school communities and can best respond to their needs. Best practice examples include an Auckland school that used a ‘Kids Back to School’ campaign to increase attendance from 35% to 91 percent.
For individuals who were isolated, schoolwork and food packs were given, and a liaison person checked in on a regular basis with follow-up from teachers.
This strong community partnership developed trust, encouraging whnau to send their tamariki back to school. Meanwhile, a Pacific Education Program at a secondary school was very successful in re-engaging senior boys in their studies, with a support person serving as a link between families and the school to break down barriers and ensure that young people felt valued when participating in the curriculum.
A cooperation between a cluster of 25 schools and kura with their local runanga – which is assisting with Aotearoa Histories material and the creation of a new Attendance Service – is also putting more emphasis on localised learning and te ao Maori.
“Our frontline regional teams in the Ministry of Education” Te Mahau will expand these initiatives to help schools and kura work more closely with their communities – especially Mori, Pacific, and disabled students – and to facilitate collaborative actions across our regional social services and school communities to help eliminate barriers.
This mahi will expand on the $88 million attendance package we announced in Budget 2022, which includes $40 million for a Regional Response Fund as well as additional improvements to the Attendance Service and Alternative Education.
“We all share responsibility and have a part to play in reversing this trend and increasing attendance.” Parents and whanau are responsible for ensuring that their children attend and participate, while schools and kura must provide a safe and welcoming environment for pupils. “Everyone has a part to play in this plan,” Jan Tinetti remarked.
Definitions of attendance
On a regular basis (more than 90 percent of the time, or 9 days a fortnight)
Moderately absent (70-80% of the time, or 2/3 days every two weeks)
Consistently absent (less than 70 percent of the time, or missing three or more days a fortnight)
The proposed fourth aim, which revolves around notifying parents and carers, is still being worked out with the industry.