Previously, the investigation requirement applied if a student was absent 20 percent, i.e. one day a week. From the start of the autumn semester, the cause must be investigated earlier. The responsibility lies with the school principal.
– Yes, it’s about the schools analyzing absences from 15% every month in order to detect at an earlier stage longer or repeated absences that tend to become problematic, says Sofia Andersson.
According to her, research and studies show that it is at this level that absence starts to become problematic for students.
Twice as much absenteeism as before the pandemic
In Umeå municipality’s elementary schools, 8 percent of the students had more than 20 percent absence during the spring semester. It is lower than the school year before, but still more than twice as high compared to the school year before the 2018/2019 pandemic.
Therefore, the municipality now wants to be able to act more quickly on worrying patterns in order to be able to talk to students and inform guardians at an earlier stage. Student health must also be able to be connected at shorter notice.
– We want to get better. We want to lower. Umeå municipality’s goal is to reduce absenteeism and increase school attendance. And we also place much greater focus on the word school attendance instead of school absence. And that is important, because it is the presence that we need to work with.