Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday) announced the creation of a Chronic Absenteeism Advisory Council to address chronic absenteeism in Iowa schools.  Plans to create the Chronic Absenteeism Advisory Council were announced at the 2016 Future Ready Iowa Summit, which began a statewide conversation about how to close the skills gap, one of the biggest challenges Iowa faces. Among those appointed to the Council, was Martha Bruckner, Superintendent of the Council Bluffs Community School District.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of schools days for any reason, excused or unexcused.  In Iowa, that means at least 18 days of school a year, or nearly a month.  Chronically absent students are more than one and a half times less likely to be proficient in reading by the end of third grade according to analysis by the Child and Family Policy Center.  In Iowa, nearly 25 percent of students did not read proficiently by the end of third grade in 2014-2015.  Those numbers reflect the skills gap that could potentially be keeping students from graduating from high school ready for college or career training.

The Council will meet once a month starting in August and make final recommendations to the Administration in November.  The Council includes many educators, school board representatives, non-profit and business leaders as well as state legislators.