LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Two Kentucky school superintendents are giving a thumbs-up to a national awareness campaign regarding the importance of school attendance no matter the grade.
Donna Hargens, superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, and Lynda Jackson, superintendent of Covington Independent Public Schools, have both signed their names as supporters of a national campaign called Attendance Works.
The campaign defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent or more of school for any reason, excused or not excused.
Attendance Works says that as early as pre-K, chronic absence can predict poor attendance and academic performance in later years. By the time students reach sixth grade, missing that much school is a leading indicator the student will drop out of high school.
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