POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie City School District is actively working to improve declining attendance rates among students. The “#ShowUpPCSD Attendance Improvement Plan” is in place to improve both attendance and student engagement. The district cites a Washington Post study which shows that two-thirds of schools nationally struggle with high absenteeism after the pandemic.
October marked the beginning of a program that will reward students who earn perfect attendance for the first quarter. The program also requires no late arrivals or departures in addition to perfect attendance for eligibility. Caseworkers tasked with improving attendance among students are working from the School Engagement Office and are available to assist parents or guardians who are encountering attendance issues. “We’ll share QR codes with them (parents) so they can reach out to us and let us know if they are having trouble so we can help them,” said Poughkeepsie Middle School Caseworker Melyssa Gomez.
“Recognizing the interplay between community success and the success of individual students, the Poughkeepsie City School District has invested in further educating students, families, and the community of the importance of daily school attendance,” District Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser told Mid-Hudson News. “If our youth don’t access the high-quality educational experiences in school every day, the future of our communities are subjected to future citizens who are not educated to contribute in the most meaningful ways as future leaders, residents, and taxpayers in our local community and ultimately our national community.”
District attendance rates as of October 16, 2023:
- Poughkeepsie High School averaged 1,003 students daily. There are 1,179 students enrolled, resulting in an 85 percent attendance rate.
- Poughkeepsie Middle School has an 88 percent attendance rate with an average attendance of 783 students out of the 883 enrolled at the…
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