Every School Day Counts

Count Day

  • Next Count Day - Wednesday, October 8, 2023

    Why are Count Days Important?

    • Count Days are mandated by the State School Aid Act.
    • All Michigan Public K-12 schools take attendance on specified Count Days to account for the number of students they serve to determine state funding
      • Fall counts occur on the 1st Wednesday in October and represent 90% of state funding.
      • Spring counts occur on the 2nd Wednesday in February and represent 10% of state funding.

    Build a Habit of Good Attendance and meet your school's Attendance Agent

    • Every DPSCD school has an Attendance Agent ready to assist and help your family with establishing good habits and discussing challenges.

    Elementary - Middle School Students

    Quick Facts About Attendance:

    • Being late to school leads to poor attendance.
    • Too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
    • Missing 18 days of school during a school year can make it harder to learn to read.
    • Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every month.
    • Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to assist children with catching up. 

    Attending school regularly helps children feel better about themselves and school. It also helps them do well in high school, college and their career. 

    How You Can Help:

    • Set a regular schedule for bedtime and morning routine. 
    • Prepare for school the night before by laying out clothes, packing backpacks and preparing lunches.
    • Don't let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick.
    • If your child seems anxious about going to school, discuss with teachers, school counselors and other parents how to make them feel more comfortable and excited about learning. Develop plans for getting to school in case something comes up. Including trusted family members, neighbors and other parents in the planning. 
    • Avoid making medical appointments and planning trips when school is in session. 

    High School Students 

    Quick Facts About Attendance:

    • Students can be chronically absent even if they miss only one or two days every month.
    • Attendance is an important life skill. It will help your child graduate from college and keep a job.
    • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school. 
    • Regular attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
    • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty. 

    Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student's academic success.

    How Can You Help:

    Make school attendance a priority:

    • Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
    • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day. Make that the expectation.
    • Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good nights sleep.
    • Don't let your child stay home unless truly sick.

    Help your teen stay engaged:

    • Find out if your child feels engaged in his classes and safe from bullies and other threats. Make sure he/she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies.
    • Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
    • Stay on top of your child's social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school.
    • Encourage meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs

    Communicate with the school:

    • Know the school's attendance policy.
    • Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior.
    • Check your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
    • Ask for help from school officials, after-school programs, other parents or community agencies if you're having trouble getting your child to school. 

    Resources & Links