It’s likely no surprise that kids who regularly attend school have better grades and mental health than those who don’t.
Perhaps more eyebrow-raising is over a quarter of students across Ohio last year were “chronically absent,” according to data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. While the highest chronic absenteeism rate was during the pandemic – above 30% of students – and the numbers are trending downwards, last year’s rate remains worryingly high across the state.
A child is chronically absent when they miss 10% – or roughly 18 days – of instructional time, whether those absences are excused or unexcused.
The good news for kids at ODA? Our scholars come to school more. In fact, ODA scholars attend school for up to two weeks more than students at the same school who are not participating in our programs.
In partnership with the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University, we conducted three studies which all pointed to the same result. When we evaluated data from Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Cleveland Heights-University Heights (CHUH), and Breakthrough Public Schools (BPS), we found higher attendance rates for ODA scholars across each district. Additionally, the more hours scholars spent in ODA programming, the higher their school attendance rates.
You make this possible. Thank you!
Our scholars want to come to school because of what you make possible. It’s your support that helps to create programming that's inspiring and engaging, hire outstanding mentors and tutors, and provide a place to belong. We’re proud to partner with you in paving the way for our scholars’ academic and personal success. Thank you!
If you’d like to learn more about how you can support our scholars, please contact Joe Hollings, Director of Engagement at jhollings@odacle.org.
You can also donate to make a lasting impact: Donate online here.
Together, we can ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive, one school day at a time.
-----
This article is a part of the February 2025 PINC Newsletter. To read more articles from this newsletter, click here or the button below.
