Tuscaloosa’s Education Leaders Highlight Importance of First-Day Attendance

Classes for Tuscaloosa City and Tuscaloosa County schools will be back in session next Wednesday, August 10th, and district leaders want students present on the first day back.

A spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa City School system said student attendance on the first day of school has dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, and some students are not returning to in-person classes until the second and third week of school.

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Dr. Traymene Maye, the coordinator of attendance for the TCS system, said the first day of school attendance is critical for setting the foundation of success for students that impact the overall school year.

"The first day of school is one of the most important days of the year," Maye said. "It's the day you set the tone for academic success for the year."

Maye said studies show students who consistently attend school have a higher academic and social rate of success and students who miss easily fall behind their peers.

The more absences a child has, the harder it is to catch up academically and see good results from an academic year.

The school system also released a back-to-school guide Wednesday outlining minor changes to TCS' dress code and safety measures, which you can read in full here. 

Whether a child rides, buses or carpools to school, school administrators are asking parents to make absolutely sure they are in class for the first day of the new academic year next Wednesday morning.