Chronic absenteeism in the United States remains about 75 percent higher, on average, than pre-pandemic levels, negatively impacting everything from student achievement to funding for classrooms. “There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for school districts, and every leadership team needs to engage their students, staff, parents, and […]
A RAND analysis of 2024–25 school year data from the American School District Panel and the American Youth Panel show rates of chronic absenteeism remain above pre-pandemic levels and are negatively impacting efforts to close achievement gaps exacerbated by COVID-19. “Persistent high levels of absenteeism […]
The new brief “Seize the Data: Using Chronic Absence Data to Drive Student Engagement,” a joint publication of CSBA and Attendance Works released in March, provides an overview of chronic absenteeism in California and information on the student groups it impacts most as well as questions that board members can consider when assessing the issue, ways to address it and related resources.
New data from the California Department of Education indicates that students are generally holding steady academically compared to last year and rebounding attendance-wise following years of pandemic disruptions. On Oct. 18, the department released the latest results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and […]
With chronic absenteeism rates in California still hovering at about double where they were prior to the pandemic (22 percent compared to about 10 percent), communicating to families the importance of getting children to school is more important than ever. To aid local educational agencies […]
It’s widely recognized that students are more likely to show up to school when they feel safe, connected and supported, but how can educators make those conditions a reality? A variety of resources and strategies available to assist local educational agencies in their attempts to […]
An East Bay school district’s efforts to improve attendance and academic outcomes for one of its most vulnerable student groups — foster youth — was discussed during the recent California Department of Education webinar, “Reducing Chronic Absenteeism for Foster Youth: MTSS Case Study.” As local […]
Strategies to curb absenteeism ranging from offering positive greetings at classroom doors and having on-campus laundry facilities to implementing early warning systems and addressing housing insecurity are explored in the report Attendance Playbook: Smart Solutions for Reducing Student Absenteeism Post-Pandemic, published by FutureEd and Attendance […]
Data on unexcused absences can be used to craft a “more preventive, problem-solving, and equitable response to poor attendance,” according to a new Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) report, Disparities in Unexcused Absences Across California Schools. Attending school is critical to young people’s development, […]
Targeted text messages sent to parents reduces chronic absence in elementary school, particularly for students with a history of missing class, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the National Center for Education Evaluation at the Institute of Education Sciences. Researchers also found that most parents […]
