A More Complete Picture of School Absenteeism

October 18, 2024
• Members of the Needham School Committee share their concerns about certain subgroups of students having more unexcused absences at their meeting on October 15, 2024.

While the Needham Public Schools have always been concerned with maintaining a high attendance rate, an extra emphasis has been placed upon it in recent years. With the state tracking rates and labelling some trends as “chronic absenteeism”, the Needham school committee asked the district to report on what has been happening in the years since the pandemic. Hearing different breakdowns by grade and school population, the school committee are seeking fair policies and practices to help engage Needham students. Municipal Producer Yuxiao Yuan reports.

This story ran as part of the Needham Channel News, a weekly newscast airing on The Needham Channel every Thursday at 7:30pm. The Needham Channel News can be found on the Community Channel: Comcast 9, Astound 15 and Verizon 29. Most Thursdays it also can be viewed on our HD Channel on Verizon 2129, Astound 613 and streaming on this site.