By Murray Light
Elementary and secondary schools throughout the nation are adopting various techniques to get children to school on time. Many of these programs are producing positive results, but the evidence still shows disturbing signs of a continuing upsurge in late arrivals to school.
The U.S. Department of Education, in the latest available report, shows that tardiness is a moderate to a serious problem, rising to 32.4 percent by the year 2000, up 7.5 percent over a six-year period. The increase in elementary school tardiness was most disturbing, with 27.1 percent of principals in those schools saying it was a significant problem, increasing 8.6 percent over the same period.
School principals have been concerned about tardiness for many years but didn’t take serious steps to counter the problem. It’s a different story now because of the No Child Left Behind law that results in federal monitoring of school attendance and late arrivals to school. Under that law, schools face a whole range of negative consequences if students don’t meet certain levels on state tests. Students who arrive late to school miss important lessons, because elementary school teachers for the most part begin their day with core subjects such as reading.
Attendance is a major factor that states look at in figuring how much funding the school district gets, and since attendance is taken at the beginning of the school day, late arrivals may be counted as absentees, thereby depriving the district of funding.
The Wall Street Journal in a recent lengthy article reviewed the school tardiness problem and cited some of the reasons it was becoming more and more troublesome. The article, however, failed to mention what I consider to be one of the principal reasons for this increasing tardiness.
A significant number of school-age children have television sets in their bedrooms, and a great many probably are watching a late movie or one of the late-night talk shows when they should be sleeping. When and if they have an alarm clock, they just continue to sleep after it goes off.
I wonder, too, if some tardiness can be attributed to the late arrival of their school bus that then results in their late arrival to school. Many years ago, when youngsters walked to schools in their neighborhoods, this was not a problem. Today, most are bused to school, and if the bus is late, so are those who are on it. This tardiness should not be counted against the students.
Among the devices principals are utilizing to cut back on tardiness include prizes for students who regularly show up on time and after-school movies for those who are always punctual. One school district in Texas has a weekly raffle for students who get to school on time with a watch as the prize.
Three of my grandchildren attend school in Needham, Mass., and the high school gives a day off to those who come on time for an entire semester. I am proud to say that my 16-year-old granddaughter recently enjoyed that day off.
Parents, of course, have responsibilities, too. I recall vividly, even after all these years, the time of a major snowstorm in New York City. My father felt so strongly about my not missing a day at school that he carried me the four blocks from our home to the elementary school I attended. Only a handful of us were present that day in my fourth-grade class.
I have deviated today from my customary approach to this column, which concentrates on local, state and national politics. But I do feel strongly about the need for a strong school system to prepare young people for a meaningful role in our society. I am hopeful that Buffalo’s new school superintendent will be effective in making changes that can considerably enhance that important factor in our community.
Murray B. Light is the former editor of The Buffalo News.
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