On Monday, Nov. 17, Principal Jason Caudill announced to juniors and seniors that beginning second semester, a new school attendance requirement will determine students’ eligibility to attend Prom in May.
Students must have fewer than 12 hours of unexcused absence to attend the dance May 9. This policy addition is unconventional, coming 13 weeks into the school year. Although it is important for high school administration to manage attendance, doing so by restricting student opportunities is unfair. Administrators should instead direct their focus toward methods of positive reinforcement.
The current attendance policy in the high school allows students to have 65 hours, or approximately 11 school days, excused. If the 65-hour limit is exceeded, absences marked personal illness, college visit, court appearance, quarantine, illness in the family or family vacation become unexcused, according to the Bexley City Schools website.
According to the Ohio Department of Education, chronic absenteeism describes students who miss 10% or more of instructional time. The high school had a chronic absenteeism rate of 16.6% during the 2024-25 school year, which is significantly lower than the statewide average of 25.1%.
As of Dec. 1, the senior class has missed a total of 2,659 hours of instruction, of which approximately 12% were unexcused. This statistic remains consistent with last year’s 2,734 hours missed among seniors in the first semester, of which approximately 14% were unexcused.
Bexley’s rate of chronic absenteeism is lower than the statewide average, and the number of hours missed among seniors is consistent with the number of hours missed among seniors last year, making the creation of a new attendance policy this late in the school year a confusing and unnecessary choice. If attendance were a large enough issue, it would have been addressed by administration at the beginning of the year.
Preventing students from attending Prom will only amplify the resentment between students and administrators that has stemmed from other restrictions placed on students this year. While many of those changes were warranted, the restriction on Prom presents as more of a threat to the high school experience than an incentive for good attendance.
The administration should instead encourage better attendance by positively reinforcing students’ good behavior throughout the school year.
During the first quarter, the Renaissance Club randomly selected a student with zero tardies to receive two field-side seats at a football game. This reward was unique, and while the seats may not have been appealing to everyone, the public acknowledgement was meaningful in and of itself. Administration should focus on rewards like this one when brainstorming how best to recognize students who have good attendance.
Instead of placing limitations on established and celebrated events, administration should incentivize good attendance by giving credit to students who are meeting the expectation. This kind of recognition is much more effective; it fosters a sense of community in the high school, rather than creating a division between the student body and administration.
Published and digitized December 2025.
