Title: Homelessness and Chronic Absenteeism in Rural Communities

Almost 8 million students were chronically absent from schools during the 2015-2016 school year. Unsurprisingly, research shows that economically disadvantaged students are more likely to be chronically absent than the overall student population—but studies also indicate that students experiencing homelessness are chronically absent at rates even higher than their housed, low-income peers. In many rural communities across the country, homeless students experience a unique set of challenges getting to school regularly and on time. During this webinar, we’ll talk with county-level education practitioners about those unique challenges in rural communities, as well as the resources provided to address barriers to attendance and collaborative strategies to support positive attendance for students experiencing homelessness.

Presenters:

• Sheri Hanni – Student Attendance Coordinator
• Meagan Meloy – Director, BCOE School Ties and Prevention Services