COLUMBUS, Ohio (WLIO) — Gov. Mike DeWine says the state is taking steps to improve school attendance across Ohio.
On April 15, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will unveil a new tool designed to track student attendance in schools each week. The data will be available not only to schools but also to the public as part of an effort to improve student attendance statewide.
Beginning this fall, school districts will be required to develop an attendance policy that works with students and parents to remove barriers that prevent children from getting to school.
“This policy must identify students who are at risk, offer ways to step in early and work directly with families to understand and remove barriers to attendance and increase the level of support for students who miss school,” says DeWine.
DeWine said that during the last school year, one out of every four students in Ohio was considered chronically absent, meaning they missed the equivalent of one month of school.
