MERCED, Calif. — Merced County’s rate of chronically absent students decreased last school year, edging closer to the state average, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Merced County Office of Education.
Superintendent Steve Tietjen said during his presentation on the county’s annual education report that chronic absenteeism was as high as 35% in 2022. That number dropped to 20.7% during the academic year 2023-24, which is close to California’s rate of 20% for the same academic year.
County leaders cited local examples of schools where absenteeism fell, like at Franklin Elementary and Campus Park Elementary. Franklin sat around 15% and Campus Park boasted a 9.4% chronic absentee rate.
The annual report also reflected on graduation rates, extracurricular activities and English language learner progress during the latest school year.
Graduation among high school students in the county remained higher than the state, averaging 93.7% to California’s 90.8%. The numbers closely mirror those of last year, where MCOE reported a county average of 92.5%. Out of eight high school districts represented in this year’s report, Hilmar and Delhi Unified reported the highest graduation rates, 98.9% and 98.3% of its students respectively.
The county has also maintained a steady rate of English language learners who achieve fluency. The office reported the portion of students who are reclassified to be fluent in English or proficient, has remained at 20% or above since 2020. California Department of Education reported only 15.9% of English learning students statewide were reclassified as fluent in 2023.
Leaders use data, extracurriculars to stimulate success
Tietjen told education and community leaders Wednesday that MCOE uses a myriad of different data points to guide the continued growth of instructional practices.
“We're looking way beyond the last century version of school accountability, which was to look at a test score once a year,” Tietjen said. “We've got to look at data every day, every week.”
Tietjen also pointed to the rising attendance in the office’s extracurricular events, including the outdoor education program, which teaches sixth graders about environmental education near Yosemite National Park for a week out of the school year.
The county reported it helped fund a new station at the camp with money granted from the Merced County Education Foundation.
Other events by MCOE include contests like the county spelling bee. Tietjen said 7,700 students participated in at least one contest sponsored by the office last year. Students who win the county contests have an opportunity to compete statewide and sometimes, nationally.
Last year, local eighth grader Rishabh Saha competed in the Scripp’s National Spelling Bee, and placed seventh in the nation.
Tietjen said these opportunities give students a chance to see life beyond their day-to-day school life.
“Anytime a student has a chance to engage in a competition or a performance, you know that is something that is going to stick with them for life,” Tietjen said. “The children that perform today are going to remember that.”