RICHMOND, Va. — A task force will be formed to combat chronic absenteeism and the need for tutoring in Virginia's schools Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced during a press conference Thursday morning.
According to Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Lisa Coons, one in five Virginia students are chronically absent from the classroom. That's compare to one in 10 students back in the 2018-19 school year.
"We sent the message that it was okay to learn from home," said Coons, referencing when students and staff weren't in the classroom during the pandemic.
Coons said students not being in the classroom directly correlates with the learning loss seen in subjects like math and reading.
It's a message Youngkin echoed.
"We have to get this right," said Youngkin. He encouraged parents and community members to get involved through this new task force.
"We have to reaffirm the importance of showing up in class," said Youngkin.
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