Why school absenteeism and student behavior improve with teacher-student connections

School leaders have been facing a double whammy over the past several years: increasing rates of student absenteeism and student behavior referrals.

In fact, the White House reported that the number of students who have missed at least 10 percent of days in a school year has nearly doubled from around 15 percent in the 2018-2019 school year to 30 percent in the 2021-2022 school year. And, EdWeek Research Center, recently surveyed educators and reported that 70 percent said that students are misbehaving more now than compared with the fall of 2019. 

At the same time, years of research has shown that students are best able to thrive when there are strong teacher-student connections at school. In Search Institute’s most recent report, which summarizes more than a decade of studies, they say: “after decades of forming hypotheses, conducting surveys, crafting and rewriting definitions, analyzing data and writing journal articles… Nothing—nothing—has more impact in the life of a child than positive relationships.”

When there is a foundation of teacher-student connections at a school, students are more likely to be present and to show up ready to learn with the right level of engagement. That’s because they feel seen and heard by a trusted adult, which can make all the difference in their current and future success.

For a deeper dive into the importance of teacher-student connections, and how they can address the challenges of the current education landscape, you can read Along’s free eBook, “Strong connections improve student outcomes.” 

The team at Along understands that school leaders are looking for easy-to-implement solutions that can create campus environments that serve the whole student. The eBook details the practical ways to introduce Along as a school-wide solution that can fit into a diverse range of classrooms.

You’ll also find stories from schools that have successfully used Along in their classroom, across a range of school types and locations. The tool can also help connect with harder to reach students, and student groups such as diverse learners and English language learners (ELL).

If you’re looking for a way to build and maintain student connections, download our free eBook or reach out to the Along team today!