Bernard J. Ward Elementary School reports 21% truancy rate

The truancy rate at Bernard J. Ward Elementary School rose to 21 percent during the 2019-20 school year, according to a Education Daily Wire analysis of the latest Illinois schools report card.

The school's average daily attendance rate was 93 percent.

Students are considered chronically truant if they miss five percent of school days or more per year without acceptable excuses. The Valley View CUSD 365u saw a chronic truancy rate of 22 percent during the 2019-20 school year, while the statewide rate was 10 percent.

The school enrolled 373 students in the 2019-20 school year, and average daily attendance was at 93 percent for the year, the Illinois State Board of Education reported. The average daily rate of attendance across the state was 95 percent.