Arkansas Policies

Chronic Absenteeism Scan Framework
This scan examines how states are addressing chronic absenteeism through evidence-based practices and policy approaches. It highlights both promising models and areas of opportunity for states as challenges persist across the country.

Data and Accountability
For states to make progress toward addressing chronic absenteeism, all stakeholders must have access to useful, accurate, and timely educator workforce data. As keepers of state data systems, state education agencies are best positioned to establish common definitions and collect and share this data, which should be publicly available and easily accessible so stakeholders can make targeted, strategic workforce decisions at the school, district, and state level.

Investments in Engagement Strategies to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
To improve chronic absenteeism rates, states must prioritize sustained investments and implement evidence-based strategies that address the root causes especially for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities. State education agencies, in partnership with districts and communities, are uniquely positioned to allocate resources toward high-impact interventions such as wraparound services, policy agenda, improved transportation, and family engagement. These investments should be driven by data and equity, aligned with statelevel goals, and monitored for effectiveness.

Eliminating Harmful Practices and Adopting Evidence-based Guidance and Policies
Eliminate discipline practices such as suspensions for disrespect, minor disruptions, dress code violations, and other non-violent behaviors that harm the relationship between students and school. Success means removing these policies and replacing them with supportive, restorative approaches that keep students connected to learning.

LEGEND:
  • Most supportive
  • Partially supportive
  • Least supportive

  • Data & Accountability

    • Does the state require taking daily attendance and does it set a definition of daily attendance

      Arkansas requires attendance to be taken daily. The state considers a student to be present for the full day if they attend more than 3.5 hours. Students recieve half a days attendance if attending at least three hours and students are considered absent if they attend less than three hours in a particular day.

    • Disaggregated data on chronic absenteeism and attendance

      Race/ethnicity, economic status (e.g., free/reduced lunch eligibility), English learner status, students with disabilities, foster care and housing status, gender, and grade level. Data is provided in a pdf report with categories and subgroups cross-tabulated.

    • Attendance monitoring systems in place: data tracking tool, types of absences contributing to chronic absenteeism

      Arkansas uses eSchoolPlus, a student information system, to track daily attendance across public schools.

    • How often does the state collect chronic absenteeism data from school districts

      Arkansas only publishes chronic absenteeism data annually; however, eSchoolPlus allows the state to track as often as needed through daily attendance data entry.

    • Publicly available and accessible chronic absenteeism data 

      Arkansas’ eSchoolPlus is publicly available and accessible; however, the tool is grouped with other school climate data making it difficult to conduct detailed analysis.

    • Early warning indicators in state policy

      Arkansas does not have a state policy committment for early warning indicators (EWIs); however, some school districts have implemented their own EWIs using tools like OnTrack, Panorama, or locally developed dashboards to identify at-risk students.

  • Investments in Strategy to Improve Chronic Absenteeism

    • Investments in strategies to increase engagement and lower rates of chronic absenteeism  

      Arkansas invests in family and community engagement and professional development (provides toolkits, training, and resources). The state is committed to the 50% Challenge.

    • The state has a clear policy agenda that prioritizes the reduction of chronic absenteeism  

      Though Arkansas has not developed state polices to reduce chronic absenteeism, they have forged partnerships with Attendance Works and the Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to assist with implementing state-wide strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism.

    • Financial sustainability

      No evidence.

  • Harmful Practices

    • Adoption of evidence-based discipline guidance and policies 

      Arkansas reports discipline data annually — including infractions and consequences. The state is currently researching the disproportionalty in discipline practices regarding students of color.

    • Elimination of harmful practices that research proves contribute to chronic absenteeism

      No evidence.

Alaska Chronic Absenteeism Numbers

Understanding state policy conditions to address chronic absenteeism is one part of the story. It’s also important to review actual – timely – data on chronic absenteeism to understand attendance patterns, engage in early intervention and prevention, identify trends, allocate resources where they are needed most, and implement targeted interventions in a way that addresses root causes and meets the needs of students and their families. Timely and transparent data can also help advocates understand where to ask educators in their communities to focus efforts.

The data below presents information about chronic absenteeism rates in 2022-23, and projects how those rates would need to change to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% over five years — overall and for individual student groups, because averages hide important details about how specific groups of students are faring. And since we can’t accept different standards for different groups, the goal displayed is for each student group to achieve the same chronic absenteeism rate as other groups.

Do you want to see the data for another state?