Blum: Student absences have exploded

The familiar hum of a well-oiled machine is a comforting sound. It suggests efficiency, precision, and a harmonious system. This is an analogy I provided to Town Council at a council meeting on Aug. 6, as I, along with Chair Eleanor Yick, presented the annual report for the Community Health and Senior Services Commission (CHSSC). Our goal, I emphasized, is to make the delivery of senior services operate with such seamless efficiency.

As the discussion unfolded, a related issue surfaced: the chronic absenteeism of student commissioners appointed to CHSSC. This is a problem I’ve repeatedly raised in the past, to no avail, until now. Sticking with the petroleum related analogies, perhaps the squeaky wheel finally got some oil, as Council indicated they intend to address the problem.

Student absenteeism has plagued the commission for years, although, as several council members indicated, our commission is perhaps the most popular option available to students seeking to be on one of our Town boards and commissions.

This absenteeism is a symptom of a larger, nationwide trend explored in a recent New York Times article: a surge in student absenteeism since the pandemic.

The New York Times article pinpoints several factors contributing to this alarming rise: pandemic-related anxieties and illnesses, shifting parental attitudes towards school attendance, relaxed attendance policies implemented during remote learning, and increased behavioral issues in schools. These factors have combined to create a perfect storm of absenteeism, with rates soaring from 15% to 26% across the country.

The consequences of this trend are far-reaching. Students who are chronically absent fall behind academically, disrupting the learning environment for their peers. The New York Times article underscores the critical role of attendance in recovering from pandemic-induced learning losses.

Los Gatos is not immune to this crisis.

While I wholeheartedly support youth involvement in local government, the less than stellar commitment from many student commissioners is disheartening. It’s a pattern I’ve witnessed firsthand: initial enthusiasm followed by a rapid decline in attendance. While student commissioners may call upon a second appointed student commissioner to replace them, these substitute commissioners follow the same absenteeism pattern as the primary student commissioner.

The Town’s Boards and Commissions Handbook outlines attendance requirements, including the stipulation that members who miss three regular meetings in a year must resign. Yet, this rule, similarly applicable to student commissioners, is rarely enforced for student commissioners (and perhaps for others) due to a reluctance to diminish youth representation.

This leniency sends a troubling message. It suggests that civic engagement is optional and that the consequences for neglecting one’s responsibilities are minimal or even nonexistent. It’s essential to find a balance between fostering youth involvement and holding student commissioners accountable.

Possible Solutions

• Address the root causes of absences, such as student anxiety.
• Offer workshops or individual consultations on time management skills to help students juggle school work, board/commission responsibilities, and other commitments.
• Ensure students understand the time commitment expected of them before they are appointed to a board or commission.
• Work with schools and the boards/commissions to find flexible meeting times that minimize conflicts with classes or extracurricular activities. Consider offering remote participation options for some meetings.
• If workloads seem excessive, explore ways to streamline tasks or delegate some duties to other student members or board/commission members.
• Talk to the students directly to understand why they’re missing meetings. Maybe the meetings are uninteresting, the workload is overwhelming, or transportation is a barrier.
• Consider revamping the student representative role or offering more opportunities for students to contribute meaningfully. This could involve assigning specific projects or focusing on issues that resonate with student interests.
• Publicly acknowledge student contributions to the board/commission’s work to incentivize continued participation. I’ve seen this student acknowledgment of their contributions occur in Los Gatos. However, perhaps it needs to be ramped up.

The challenges we face in Los Gatos are part of a larger national conversation. By understanding the factors driving student absenteeism and implementing targeted solutions, we can create a more engaged and effective student leadership pipeline. Our community’s future depends on it.