Group works to reduce chronic absenteeism exacerbated by pandemic in Grand Rapids-area schools
Updated Feb 23, 2021;
Posted Feb 22, 2021
Kent County schools are seeing a rise in chronic absenteeism as school leaders and social workers continue to track down students amid the coronavirus pandemic. (MLive file photo)
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KENT COUNTY, MI – Kathleen Feeney believes education lays the foundation for the rest of a child’s life.
That’s why the Michigan 17th Circuit Court judge has devoted the last two decades to tracking down absent students and bringing them back to the classroom.
As head of the Kent County School-Justice Partnership, Feeney leads a coalition of passionate school leaders, social workers and prosecutors who are working to reduce chronic absenteeism, defined as when students miss 10% or more of scheduled school days.
Partnership continues focus on student emotional, mental health
Chronic absenteeism symptom of broader issue, leaders say
All districts As more knowledge and resources become available, the Kent County School-Justice Partnership continues to prioritize the physical, emotional and mental health of students.
Mandated by then-Gov. Rick Snyder in 2013, the Kent School-Justice Partnership works to keep children in school to combat the high-school dropout-to-prison pipeline.
As one of the key leaders, Kent County Circuit Court judge Kathleen Feeney believes the partnership’s approach to keeping students in school has become more actively trauma-informed in the last 10 years, resulting from more conversations about students’ lives outside of school.