When students miss school, they miss out on learning. When they return, they have to work harder to catch up. After a while, it gets more difficult to catch up, and then kids are even more likely to miss school.

As a result, kids who miss school have lower levels of achievement throughout their school careers. By sixth grade, research shows that students who miss an average of just one day a week are more likely to drop out of high school.

The students who do come to class also miss out. When teachers have to repeat material or pay extra attention to kids who have been absent, everyone suffers.

Reprinted with permission from the September 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Kim Nauer, Andrew White and Rajeev Yerneni, "Strengthening Schools by Strengthening Families" (Center for New York City Affairs, New School, www.newschool.edu/milano/nycaffairs/documents/StrengtheningSchoolsOct08.pdf).