How many days of school did you miss when you were a student?
Attendance is a big focus of attention at the San Diego Unified School District this year.
"You can't learn if you're not in class, so we really want to push kids to come to school every day the entire year," said Superintendent Bill Kowba, speaking about the academic importance of being in school.
For the district there are financial reasons to ensure students attend class. The District is paid for each student who comes to school. It is known as ADA, or Average Daily Attendance.
The ADA for schools has been dropping over the years. During the school year 2007-2008, the District received $5,787 per student and that amount has now dropped to $4,957 per student or about $28 per student every day he or she is in school.
"A student who doesn't come to class, doesn't learn,” Kowba said. “A student who doesn't come to class, we don't get the revenue needed to support the learning experience on campus. So attendance is a big deal for us."
