Kane County Education Officials Address Rising Chronic Absenteeism

​Chronic absenteeism has been on the rise across Illinois, presenting challenges not only for student learning but also for school culture and long-term success, according to Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) officials.

During a recent meeting of the Kane County Board's Public Service committee, Jordan Eggleson, Professional Learning Supervisor at the Kane County ROE, told members the office is closely monitoring absenteeism trends in the nine school districts it serves. 

A chronic absentee is defined by statute as a student who misses 10 percent of school days, with or without a valid excuse, of the most recent academic year. 

Valid causes for a student to be absent can include illness, observance of a religious holiday, a death in the family, or other circumstances beyond the student's control. 

To help schools address these issues, the ROE has been supporting districts in establishing attendance goals as part of  school improvement plans. Eggleson said the office emphasizes proactive, research-based strategies and works closely with teachers, counselors, and administrators to create tiered interventions tailored to student and school needs.

To help schools address absenteeism, the ROE supports districts four key components:

• Communication – Ensuring students, parents, staff, and the community understand the school's Attendance Plan through letters, fliers, announcements, staff meetings, assemblies and other strategies.
• Prevention – Accurate daily attendance monitoring allows early identification of students at risk of absenteeism or truancy. Parents are notified promptly to encourage timely intervention.
• Outreach Worker Intervention – Truant students are referred to the Kane County ROE Truancy Program. Parent conferences and school-based support (counselors, social workers, nurses) are used to create an Individual Service Plan (ISP) that addresses the causes of absenteeism. All interventions are documented for follow-up.
• Regional Office of Education Intervention – Chronically truant students are referred to the ROE for regional conferences, which review the school's interventions and circumstances that led to such truancy. The hearing officer at these conferences attempts to find meaningful solutions and productive consequences for students in an attempt to avoid referring matters to  the Kane County State's Attorney. Attendance is monitored post-intervention.

Eggleson emphasized that schools are also working to create tiered, research-based interventions and to strengthen students' sense of belonging. “Students are more likely to show up when they feel seen, valued, and connected," she said. “Personalized attendance campaigns, data tracking tools, and increased family engagement all help foster that sense of belonging."

Absenteeism is influenced by complex factors including socioeconomic status, transportation or resource challenges, health concerns, and family responsibilities such as babysitting. The COVID-19 pandemic further contributed to attendance challenges, as students and families adjusted to remote learning.

“While virtual learning can be effective, the best place for students to be is in school," said Kane County ROE Superintendent John Jonak. “In-person learning supports social, emotional, and academic growth, as well as participation in extracurricular activities — all crucial to the learning experience."

Through communication, prevention, targeted outreach, and ROE-supported interventions, Kane County schools aim to create environments where students not only attend school but feel they belong.   

Learn more about the work of the Kane County Regional Office of Education at https://kaneroe.org/

To check the absentee rate in your child's district or school go to  https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.