Reduce Absenteeism Through Better School Cleaning

Chronic absenteeism is a big problem for school districts around the country. Even with the COVID pandemic firmly in the review mirror, chronic absenteeism is still too high. Reporting shows that over 23% of students missed at least 18 or more school days during the 2023-24 school year.

Missing this much school leads to multiple unwanted outcomes. For the students, missed school is associated with diminished academic performance and lower graduation rates. Less time in school also gives students fewer opportunities to engage with peers and teachers, impacting social and emotional wellbeing.

For the school system at large, chronic absenteeism can be a source of financial strain. Schools in six states tie funding directly to attendance rates, meaning individual districts are financially penalized for poor numbers. Everyone else still pays for absenteeism with money and time invested in finding and coaxing chronically absent students back to school.

K-12 school leaders are coming up with a variety of ways to combat chronic absenteeism. Strategies like offering in-school laundry services and basic health care show a lot of promise. But providing better cleaning may be one of the most effective, most cost-efficient tactics available.

Clean Schools Equals Healthy Students

Research shows that better school cleaning has multiple positive impacts. For students and teachers, a better school cleaning approach leads to fewer lost days due to illness. Improved cleaning also increases parent satisfaction and betters academic performance.

Implementing better, more targeted school cleaning protocols also invigorates maintenance departments. For instance, schools that implement an evidence-based cleaning approach that incorporates data-backed procedures and measurable outcomes see improvements all around.

This is especially true for the maintenance staff. No longer just janitors, cleaning teams that use data to drive decisions become valuable stakeholders in the education process. Cleaning managers can use the process to justify investments in training, equipment, and staffing. Or as James Kim, Ph.D., DABT, ATS, Senior Vice President, Science & Regulatory Affairs, American Cleaning Institute, puts it in this article, evidence-based cleaning “transforms the custodial department from a cost center into a strategic asset.”

The Right Tools for Clean Schools

Standard cleaning means keeping to a schedule and relying on visual inspections. Evidence-based cleaning takes the task one step further. This method relies on identifying and prioritizing high-risk, high touch areas. In a school, these high-risk areas usually include the health office, cafeteria, and restrooms.

Evidence-based cleaning addresses specific pathogens with methods validated by agencies like the CDC or EPA. The process calls for training staff in cleaning procedures along with the rationale behind the procedure for better engagement and consistency. Not surprisingly, evidence-based cleaning also stressed the importance of hand hygiene.

Kaivac can help your school create and implement an evidence-based school cleaning program. From cleaning machines that remove soils from targeted areas, to measurement technology, to comprehensive, customized training sessions, Kaivac has the tools and expertise to help schools stay clean and keep students in class.

If your school district is wrestling with increased absenteeism, a better cleaning program can help. A good starting place is this cleaning evaluation framework for finding areas that need improvement. Then you can contact Kaivac for help implementing evidence-based cleaning processes.