Schools
Elmhurst D205 Teacher Absenteeism Criticized
The problem is that teachers are taking advantage of the system, a former school board candidate said.
ELMHURST, IL – A former Elmhurst school board candidate said Tuesday that teacher absenteeism was too high, saying it affects students.
At an Elmhurst School District 205 board meeting, resident Tom Chavez pointed to the statistic showing that 40 percent of the district's teachers were absent at least 10 days last school year. That was above the state average of 36 percent.
He noted U.S. Department of Education research that shows students' outcomes drop significantly when teachers are gone for at least 10 days.
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Chavez, who ran unsuccessfully for the board earlier this year, called the absenteeism a solvable problem that Superintendent Keisha Campbell should tackle. It not only reduces students' instruction time, but also increases substitute costs, he said.
"This isn't a chronic sickness issue," Chavez said. "While of course, there are some teachers who are truly sick. This is taking advantage of the system and an accountability problem."
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He continued, "To those who say Tom doesn't support teachers, I say sure I do. I support the 60 percent who show up to their classroom every day to do their job."
The previous year, 44 percent of District 205 teachers were absent for at 10 least days, so the rate declined a bit.
Under state law, the absenteeism rate does not include absences for professional development, leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, long-term disability or parental leave.
In his comments to the board, Chavez acknowledged some gains in the district.
"It sure is a relief to see improvement in certain areas of our schools," he said. "Every parent, every stakeholder that I know is eager to see our students thrive and succeed."
But he said more progress needs to be made with test scores. He cited data showing that Elmhurst's low-income students are losing ground.
The board's policy is for members not to immediately respond to public comments.
On Wednesday morning, Patch left a message with the district's spokeswoman, Tonya Daniels, about teacher absenteeism.
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