N.B. students missed 250,000 days in November, data shows
Department of Education can't say if increase in absences is due to COVID-19, flu, RSV, or illness at all
New Brunswick students missed a combined total of about 250,000 days in November, the latest data from the Department of Education shows.
That's an average of 2.5 missed days for each of the province's approximately 100,000 public school students.
It's roughly 70,000 more absentee days than in October, when the provincial average was under two days.
The sharp increase occurred during a surge in cases of COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, across the province, but the department says it doesn't know the reasons behind the student absences.
Elementary, middle and high school levels all saw increases, across both the anglophone and francophone sectors, the data shows.
In the anglophone districts, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 missed an average of 2.7 days of school in November, compared to 1.9 days in October — a 42.1 per cent jump.
Among anglophone students in grades 9 to 12, the average number of days absent was 3.2 days in November, up 28 per cent from the average 2.5 days in October.
In the francophone districts, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 were absent an average of 1.7 days in November. That's a 54.5 per cent rise over the average 1.1 days missed in October.
Francophone students in grades 9 to 12, meanwhile, missed an average of 2.2 days in November, compared to 1.6 days in October — a 37.5 per cent increase.
A student could be absent for many reasons including dental and medical appointments, sickness or personal/family reasons and matters related to COVID-19.- Morgan Bell, Department of Education spokesperson
The data, supplied to the department by the anglophone and francophone sectors, does not indicate why a student may be absent, said department spokesperson Morgan Bell.
"A student could be absent for many reasons including dental and medical appointments, sickness or personal/family reasons and matters related to COVID-19," she said in an emailed statement.
The department did not provide November attendance for individual schools, but did provide a breakdown of the absence data by district, which is included at the bottom of this story. The average November absences for 2021 and 2020 were also provided.
Although the November 2022 absences are the highest of the November rates so far this pandemic, the 2021 attendance is based on only the last two weeks of the month, said Bell. That's because schools were closed due to a strike by support staff and bus drivers, she confirmed.
40% of students at 1 school absent same day
Of the seven school districts, only Francophone School District – North West responded to a request to provide absences broken down by schools.
Spokesperson Julie Poulin provided detailed spreadsheets showing each school's daily absences Nov. 7 to Nov. 30, the number of enrolled students, the absence rates, as well as the district totals and weekly averages.
The Regional School of Saint-André, an elementary school, had the highest absence rate on Nov. 28 when 40 per cent of its 125 students were off, the figures show.
District wide, average daily absences ranged from seven per cent (371 students) on Nov. 9 to 15 per cent (747 students) on Nov. 25.
The district does not collect information on how many of the absences are because of COVID-19, the flu or RSV, said Poulin.
"But we know from media reports with health experts and from observations in our communities (without support data, however) that the viruses have circulated and affected many families," she said in an emailed statement in French.
Anglophone West sees highest absences
Among the districts, Anglophone School District – West, the province's second-largest district, with 69 schools and about 23,000 students, had the highest absences, with an average of 3.0 days for kindergarten to Grade 8 students and 3.5 days for students in grades 9-12.
"We are always concerned when students and staff miss school due to illness," spokesperson Jennifer Read said in an emailed statement. "In an ideal world, we would like to see everyone healthy and at school every day."
Asked how many of the absences were due to COVID-19, the flu, or RSV, Read said, "Families may choose to share the reason for illness, but it is not a requirement when reporting to the school."
Public Health has asked schools to share when their absence rates climb 10 per cent above "normal absence rates," she said. "As such, schools monitor their attendance and share information directly with Public Health."
The data, reported by district, not by school, is used to "monitor system-wide trends," according to Read.
Not only schools facing absences
Meredith Caissie, spokesperson for Anglophone School District – North, provided similar comments.
Schools notify Public Health if their absence levels are 10 per cent higher than their usual rate, "and due to the likelihood of illness (as opposed to a known other reason, such as a sporting event for example)," she said.
"Not all reported absences indicate the reason for the absence. Schools would share that information directly with Public Health, and PH then assesses it," Caissie said in an emailed statement.
The district is concerned anytime students and staff are out sick, she said. "We do understand that our schools are not alone when it comes to absences, and that many sectors across N.B. and beyond are experiencing this same thing," she added.
Both Anglophone West and Anglophone North will continue to work with the Department of Education and Public Health and follow any direction provided, said Read and Caissie.
Neither district has any new guidance for schools or parents. They both continue to encourage proactive health measures, such as frequent hand washing, monitoring for symptoms of illness, and staying home when sick.
Anglophone School District – East, Anglophone School District – South, Francophone School District – North East and Francophone School District – South did not respond to a request for information or comment.
Average monthly student absences by school district:
Anglophone School District - East
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 2.8 days
- October 2022 — 1.8 days
- November 2021 — 1.0 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.4 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 3.0 days
- October 2022 — 2.3 days
- November 2021 — 1.2 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.2 days
Anglophone School District - North
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 2.5 days
- October 2022 — 1.9 days
- November 2021 — 1.2 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.4 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 3.0 days
- October 2022 — 2.6 days
- November 2021 — 1.8 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.4 days
Anglophone School District - South
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 2.7 days
- October 2022 — 1.9 days
- November 2021 — 1.0 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 2.3 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 3.1 days
- October 2022 — 2.6 days
- November 2021 — 1.5 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 2.9 days
Anglophone School District - West
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 3.0 days
- October 2022 — 1.8 days
- November 2021 — 1.0 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.5 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 3.5 days
- October 2022 — 2.5 days
- November 2021 — 1.6 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 2.0 days
Francophone School District - North East
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 1.5 days
- October 2022 — 1.1 days
- November 2021 — 0.7 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 0.7 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 2.5 days
- October 2022 — 1.9 days
- November 2021 — 1.4 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 1.0 days
Francophone School District - North West
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 1.5 days
- October 2022 — 1 day
- November 2021 — 0.7 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 0.6 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 1.9 days
- October 2022 — 1.4 days
- November 2021 — 1.0 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 0.7 days
Francophone School District - South
K-8 students:
- November 2022 — 2.2 days
- October 2022 — 1.2 days
- November 2021 — 0.7 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 0.7 days
Grades 9-12:
- November 2022 — 2.1 days
- October 2022 — 1.4 days
- November 2021 — 0.8 days (*based on the last two weeks only)
- November 2020 — 0.6 days