High Absenteeism Costing District Thousands

School officials warned parents and students Thursday that widespread absenteeism resulting from the anxiety following the Colorado massacre would cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars, and vowed to increase punishment for students who make violent threats.

Although Los Angeles Unified School District officials reported that most schools “were back to normal” Thursday, they said that some campuses were still reeling from the rampant rumors of fights, bombs and shootings that have kept thousands of scared students home during the last two weeks.

“The anxiety and fear has had a negative impact on learning,” said Dan Isaacs, an assistant superintendent in charge of school operations, which includes safety issues.

With schools conducting statewide testing, officials said the timing couldn’t be worse. “Frankly, we’re concerned that this could affect test scores,” said Brad Sales, a district spokesman.

Not only are students distracted from the day’s classroom lessons, officials said, but the high absenteeism that occurred sporadically in pockets of schools throughout the district costs the district about $21.33 per pupil for every day a student is absent, even with a legitimate excuse.

District statisticians were still calculating how many students have been absent during the last two weeks, and what percentage resulted from rumors, warmer weather, sickness or a combination of reasons.

But school officials are so concerned about the amount the district will lose from rumors that they are considering applying for emergency funding from the state, as is done after an earthquake or other event that might cause a high rate of absenteeism.

“It’s a serious funding issue,” school board member Julie Korenstein said. “Potentially, hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

District officials said the large number of absences has been spotty, restricted to certain schools on certain days, but still enough to cause concern about how the district will recoup the money used to pay for school maintenance and salaries, among other allocations.

An estimated $33,061 was lost Wednesday at Chatsworth High School, where about half of the 3,100 students stayed home because of unfounded rumors that “there were going to be problems,” Principal Dan Wyatt said.

At Taft High, $17,064 was lost one day last week when rumors of campus destruction caused 800 of the 2,800 students to be absent.

“The rumors have gone way too far, and it’s time to get back to learning,” said Korenstein, who introduced a motion at a board committee meeting Thursday calling for stiffer criminal and civil penalties, as well as school discipline, against any student who makes an oral or written threat. The board will vote on the motion Tuesday.

“We have to take the most stringent action on this,” Korenstein said.

The district also printed fliers, reading in big letters “Making threats is no joke,” to be posted at 650 schools.

At Granada Hills High, where rumors last Friday kept a third of the students home, concern has died down, said Principal Kathleen Rattay. Fewer worried parents are calling, and the absentee rate returned to normal this week, she said, despite a rumor that the school would experience violence Thursday.

“The rumors have had no basis in fact,” Rattay said. “People are realizing that, and getting back to normal.”