EDUCATION
UWM will ensure that by 2025, 8,000 9th graders will be on track to success in school and life.
The Challenge
We know that poor school attendance is a leading predictor that a student will drop out of high school. Elementary school children who are chronically absent are more likely to repeat a grade and struggle with grade-level reading. If a child does not read a t grade level by the end of 3rd grade, he or she is four times more likely to drop out of school.
Barriers
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES/TRAUMA:
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events, including abuse and neglect, that occur during childhood. Trauma and chronic stress leave children less able to solve problems, cope with adversity and achieve success.
ADULT SUPPORT:
Children with mentors are more likely to attend school and graduate, yet at-risk students are less likely to have mentors in their lives.
SCHOOL READINESS:
A child who is “school ready” possesses age-appropriate skills/vocabulary and is developmentally on track to enter school. Children from low-income households are less likely to be “school ready” than their more affluent peers.
SCHOOLS ATTENDANCE AND CHRONIC ABSENCE:
Chronic absence can be defined as missing 10% or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused, unexcused and disciplinary absences. Students from low-income families are four times more likely to be chronically absent.
SUMMER LEARNING LOSS:
Summer learning loss, also known as summer slide, can be defined as the academic skills and knowledge students lose over the course of summer vacation. The cumulative effect of summer slide can leave students from low-income families two-and-a-half to three years behind their peers.
Strategies
Educational attainment is the strongest predictor of a person’s income and financial stability. When students enter school with age-appropriate skills, consistently attend school, have life skills and the support of caring adults, they are more likely to succeed in the classroom – and in life.
- Provide resources and supports to families that strengthen interactions and promote early literacy learning in the home environment.
- Adults read to and with children.
- Improve access to the quality of early care and education environments for children living in poverty.
- Facilitate and coordinate activities that reduce summer learning loss.
- Engage students and parent/caregivers in the development of plans for improved attendance.
- Provide a continuum of supports and resources to address student attendance barriers.
- Monitor attendance data and practice to inform student progress of reduced absenteeism.
- Provide quality and engaging out –of-school time opportunities that reinforce and enhance academic and social emotional learning.
- Incorporate activities that complement school curriculum to increase student achievement and keep students on track to graduate.
- Provide caring, adult mentors for academic enrichment, interest-based activities and career readiness.
- Support mentoring relationship throughout to match to ensure sustained relationships.
Education Investments
Academic Supports
Because school attendance is linked to improved academic outcomes, UWM invests in programs that help students, parents and school personnel develop personalized plans to improve attendance.
Life Skills
UWM invests in out-of-school programs to complement school efforts, promote academic success, develop positive behaviors and advance the development of critical life skills among youth.
Mentoring
UWM invests in quality mentoring programs that connect young people to opportunity and help them grow along the way.
Pre-Literacy
UWM provides financial support to early childhood education efforts that promote school readiness and ensure students are on the path to success.
Special Initiatives
RAISE ME TO READ
In the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, more than 5,500 third grade students were not reading at grade level during the 2016-17 academic year. At United Way of the Midlands, we believe this is 5,500 students too many. In order to ensure more children are on track to succeed in school and life, we are proud to support the expansion of the existing Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in Pottawattamie County into Douglas and Sarpy counties.
From Our Blog
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Local organizations work together to remove barriers to good attendance. In the Omaha-Council Bluffs area, approximately 18,500 – or 14 percent of students – are absent enough days throughout the school year that absence alone puts their academics at risk. Of course...
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A mentor is a caring, adult friend who devotes time to a young person and helps them achieve their potential and discover their strengths. Mentoring provides meaningful connections that impact the people involved and influences their lives at home, at work and in...
Community Spotlight: Mentoring
Mentoring: we rise by lifting others! January is National Mentoring Month - a time for the community to reflect on how rewarding it can be to devote time to young person and help them achieve their potential. Mentoring provides meaningful connections that impact the...
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: A Multi-generational Approach
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: A Multi-generational Approach Symposium Series: June 2017 Poverty is a complex condition that cannot be addressed with a single solution. It affects individuals, families, neighborhoods and entire communities. Its impact is felt by...
United Way of the Midlands and Partners Welcome Executive Director of Attendance Works
United Way of the Midlands (UWM) will kick off its annual fundraising campaign beginning at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at Turner Park in Midtown Crossing, 3110 Farnam Street. DOWNLOAD FULL PRESS RELEASE
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