More from the article ...
... "Thousands of students have returned to schools, which means that states are putting in the work," said Carl Felton, III, a policy analyst at EdTrust, a nonprofit that advocates for underrepresented students.
Felton is the author of a new report that looks at how policies in 22 states plus Washington, D.C., have helped improve student attendance. He said there are several things states are doing right, including collecting and publishing reliable data, and investing in early interventions and outreach programs instead of punitive practices. ...
Changing punitive practices and investing in more support
One of the areas Felton looked at was punitive practices. He said states need to ban corporal punishment entirely and ban harsh penalties like suspensions for minor infractions because they can harm the relationship between students and educators, and they can make students feel unsafe or unmotivated to come to class.
Several states, including many in the South, still allow corporal punishment in schools, and according to federal data, more than 69,000 K-12 public school students received corporal punishment during the 2017-18 school year.
"In order for a student to want to be in the school environment they need to know that they are cared for and that the adults in the building have their best interests at heart," Felton said. "You can hold students accountable without harming them."
He said research-backed services like after-school programs and mental health supports help to create a positive school climate: "These are the practices that we know can reduce chronic absenteeism because they address root causes."
Felton found some states, like Connecticut and Maryland, have invested millions of dollars in wrap-around services like mental health support and at-home visits. California has invested billions of dollars in that effort. ...
[emphasis mine]
"Not until you reach people, are you really able to address problems," Felton said. "We need to prioritize investments and policies that focus on engaging students and families, and making sure they get the support they need to show up daily."
