(Graphic by Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
As school kicks off, Salem schools are trying to reduce student absenteeism. Students who miss 10 percent or more of school are less likely to graduate on time, and districts across the country are looking at improving attendance as a way to improve graduation rates.
Across Salem, students in high school miss more school than their younger peers, and the absenteeism rate increases in each grade of high school. But there’s substantial variation between neighborhoods. North Salem High School, and the schools feeding into it, have some of the highest absenteeism rates in the district.
Here’s how every school stacks up.
Chronic absenteeism rates by school, 2016-17
Salem Keizer Public Schools: 27.9 percent or 11,117 students
Auburn Elementary School: 29.2 percent or 189 students
Battle Creek Elementary School: 20.4 percent or 116 students
Brush College Elementary School: 11 percent or 29 students
Bush Elementary School: 31 percent or 88 students
Candalaria Elementary School: 13.4 percent or 45 students
Cesar E Chavez Elementary School: 21.1 percent or 117 students
Chapman Hill Elementary School: 16.5 percent or 65 students
Claggett Creek Middle School: 26.3 percent or 240 students
Clear Lake Elementary School: 15.7 percent or 65 students
Crossler Middle School: 22.2 percent or 163 students
Cummings Elementary School: 18.2 percent or 77 students
Early College High School: 12.4 percent or 23 students
Englewood Elementary School: 17.2 percent or 62 students
Eyre Elementary School: 25.3 percent or 139 students
Forest Ridge Elementary School: 16.6 percent or 40 students
Four Corners Elementary School: 26.6 percent or 137 students
Grant Community School: 28.3 percent or 117 students
Gubser Elementary School: 23.5 percent or 125 students
Hallman Elementary School: 20.6 percent or 74 students
Hammond Elementary School: 14.7 percent or 72 students
Harritt Elementary School: 15.4 percent or 75 students
Hayesville Elementary School: 23.8 percent or 95 students
Highland Elementary School: 30.9 percent or 117 students
Hoover Elementary School: 22.9 percent or 102 students
Houck Middle School: 26.7 percent or 258 students
Howard Street Charter School: 7.6 percent or 12 students
Jane Goodall Environmental Middle Charter School: 17.7 percent or 17 students
Judson Middle School: 23.8 percent or 220 students
Kalapuya Elementary School: 12.7 percent or 74 students
Keizer Elementary School: 17.8 percent or 115 students
Kennedy Elementary School: 18.2 percent or 80 students
Lamb Elementary School: 16.5 percent or 77 students
Lee Elementary School: 19.1 percent or 57 students
Leslie Middle School: 26.8 percent or 196 students
Liberty Elementary School: 18.7 percent or 70 students
McKay High School: 48.4 percent or 1050 students
McKinley Elementary School: 17.5 percent or 59 students
McNary High School: 41.6 percent or 775 students
Miller Elementary School: 21.9 percent or 89 students
Morningside Elementary School: 20.3 percent or 75 students
Myers Elementary School: 16 percent or 81 students
North Salem High School: 50.5 percent or 805 students
Optimum Learning Environment Charter School: 13.1 percent or 17 students
Parrish Middle School: 29.4 percent or 187 students
Pringle Elementary School: 21.5 percent or 114 students
Richmond Elementary School: 26.8 percent or 98 students
Roberts High School: 78 percent or 177 students
Salem Heights Elementary School: 28.6 percent or 88 students
Schirle Elementary School: 21.6 percent or 87 students
Scott Elementary School: 29.7 percent or 181 students
South Salem High School: 37.6 percent or 650 students
Sprague High School: 33.1 percent or 520 students
Stephens Middle School: 27.2 percent or 287 students
Straub Middle School: 19.6 percent or 118 students
Sumpter Elementary School: 18.2 percent or 98 students
Swegle Elementary School: 20.6 percent or 106 students
Valley Inquiry Charter School: 19.8 percent or 32 students
Waldo Middle School: 22.9 percent or 213 students
Walker Middle School: 18.2 percent or 112 students
Washington Elementary School: 19.9 percent or 79 students
Weddle Elementary School: 21.6 percent or 91 students
West Salem High School: 32.9 percent or 553 students
Whiteaker Middle School: 15.1 percent or 115 students
Wright Elementary School: 19.1 percent or 74 students
Yoshikai Elementary School: 21 percent or 119 students
