I found this article in the Daily Mail.  I don’t post much in the way of newspaper articles.  They tend to go the way of junk science, but this article made a good argument.  As few as three absences from school can have a significant impact on student achievement on standardized tests.  This same correlation might be extended to classroom assessments and academic progress.

A note to consider: correlation does not necessarily mean causation.  There are multiple complexities in the lives of the students at the center of this study.  Still, the point is a good one.  The academic calendar is a deliberate mechanism designed to build understanding.  Interruptions to plans, sequence and content delivery can and will result in diminished student achievement.

Enjoy the story.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3015426/Keep-sledding-Snow-days-NO-negative-effect-test-scores-individual-absences-do.html