Candidates Address School Attendance

Candidates for the Allegany County Board of Education were asked about the issue of chronic absenteeism in schools. Absences continue to be an issue post pandemic and candidates were asked their measures to handle it.  Candidate Dr. Caren Phillips-Kurtz looks at underlying reasons…

“So there are a lot of different reasons that students are truant, that they miss school, they miss a lot of school, or that they’re late for school. First, understanding that “why” and then working with those families.”

Incumbent Linda Alderman-Widmyer is concerned about the long-term effects of chronic absence…

 

“Most of the kids who miss a lot of school between Pre-K and third grade have trouble learning to read. So, automatically that puts them behind everybody else.”