Stamford Schools Witness First Decrease in Chronic Absenteeism in 6 Years, Still Above CT Average
STAMFORD — In a promising turn of events, Stamford schools have recorded a decrease in the percentage of students classified as chronically absent for the first time in six years, albeit still higher than the Connecticut state average.
Last school year marked a noticeable decline in the rate of students deemed chronically absent, defined as those missing 10 percent or more of their classes. The rate decreased from 24.4 percent during the 2021-22 school year to 22.5 percent in the most recent academic year. Notably, this metric encompasses both truancy (unexcused absences) and excused absences.
This positive shift represents the first year-over-year decrease since the 2016-17 school year when the district reported a chronically absent rate of 8.9 percent.
Remarkable progress was made in specific areas, such as the Anchor program, which experienced a significant decrease from an 86.8 percent absentee rate in the 2021-22 school year to 57 percent in the latest academic year. In 2018-19, the last full school year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the program reported a 35.5 percent absentee rate.
Stamford High School made notable strides in reducing its chronic absenteeism rate from 32.6 percent to 23.5 percent within just one year. AITE also achieved substantial improvement, decreasing from 24.6 percent to 15.9 percent. Westhill High School, while demonstrating progress, experienced a more modest reduction, going from a 34.9 percent absentee rate to 30.3 percent.
The category of high-needs students, comprising those with disabilities, English learners with limited language proficiency, or eligible for free or reduced-price meals, exhibited an improvement as well. Their chronic absentee rate decreased from 30.3 percent to 28.2 percent in the 2022-23 school year in Stamford.
Cloonan Middle School recorded the highest absenteeism rate in Stamford last year, where one-third of all students were marked as chronically absent. However, this figure still represents an improvement over the prior year when 34.6 percent of students missed at least 10 percent of their classes.
In contrast, Scofield Magnet Middle School, Strawberry Hill School, and Rogers International School boasted the lowest absenteeism rates across the district, with rates below 12.5 percent.
The positive trend of reduced chronic absenteeism extended to Hispanic and Black students, two demographics historically marked by high rates of absenteeism. In Stamford, the rate of chronically absent Hispanic students decreased from 27.6 percent to 25.2 percent, while Black students demonstrated improved attendance, reducing their absentee rate from 32.6 percent to 27.7 percent. White students were chronically absent at a rate of 14.3 percent.
While the decline in chronic absenteeism is encouraging, Stamford schools still have work ahead to bring their rates in line with the state average. Nonetheless, these improvements reflect the district's commitment to ensuring that students attend classes regularly, paving the way for a brighter educational future.