Why Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is changing its automatic F class attendance policy
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ new attendance policy is allowing more leniency for students.
Previously, if a CMS student missed 11 or more class periods, did not make up missed time or have a medical waiver, he or she would receive an automatic F in the course under the district’s Attendance Recovery Regulation. The policy, which is one of the most stringent in the state, has been in place since 1970.
However, starting this semester, students will no longer need to make up missed time in order to pass a course following a decision by the superintendent’s office. District officials say the change was made to align with state rules.
“The proposed change now aligns with the state and allows schools to emphasize content mastery while ensuring consistency in how students earn grades and credits across all CMS high schools,” said Susan Vernon-Devlin, CMS executive director of media relations and crisis communications.
In a Providence High newsletter sent before Thanksgiving, Principal Tracey Harrill said the school would “encourage our students to continue the expectation of excellent student attendance” even with the change in policy.
“While this CMS Regulation is in the process of being changed, we want to emphasize that regular attendance remains crucial for academic success,” Harrill wrote. “A large body of research shows that students with few absences from school have higher grades, experience more academic success, and are more connected in school.”
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction doesn’t have guidelines calling for districts to fail students who miss large amounts of school. It requires attendance monitoring and interventions after three, six and 10 unexcused absences. Parents can be prosecuted for a misdemeanor under state truancy laws if their child accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences.
CMS will continue to follow state-mandated attendance procedures, Vernon-Devlin said.
The district strictly enforced its previous attendance policy after student performance saw a dramatic dip during the pandemic. It sparked controversy, with critics saying the policy encouraged students to come to school sick at a time when respiratory illnesses were running rampant.
However, CMS officials at the time cited the fact that chronic absenteeism increased substantially in the district during the pandemic. A student is considered “chronically absent,” if they miss 10% or more of the total instructional days they are enrolled.
Around 29% of CMS students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 school year, the district reported. That’s double the percentage pre-pandemic. The national average for chronic absenteeism that year sat at around 30%.
However, during the 2022-23 school year, chronic absenteeism in CMS dropped to around 22%, according to data from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
“These are North Carolina data, but we see this as a national trend,” said Brenda Berg, president and CEO of Best NC, an education research and advocacy nonprofit. “Attendance in school is critical for student success... In short, educators cannot teach when kids aren’t in school.”
Recent research shows absenteeism accounts for significant declines in student achievements, ranging from a 16% decline for 8th grade math to a 45% decline for 4th grade reading, Berg said.
“These are stunning statistics, and test scores like these are strong indicators of life outcomes for these students,” she told The Charlotte Observer.
Over the long term, studies show chronic absenteeism is linked with increased rates of high school dropout, adverse health outcomes, poverty in adulthood and an increased likelihood of interacting with the criminal justice system.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
