In a recent government meeting, discussions centered on addressing chronic absenteeism among Latino and Latinx students, highlighting significant gaps in outreach and intervention strategies. Board members expressed concern that the \"Make It Happen\" initiative, aimed at supporting students, is primarily engaging those who are already attending school regularly, rather than targeting those who are chronically absent.

One board member emphasized the need for a more focused approach to reach multilingual families, noting that language barriers may hinder effective communication and support for these students. The current outreach efforts were described as insufficient, with only a limited number of family specialists available to connect with the Latino community.

The conversation also touched on the challenges teachers face regarding student behavior and technology use in classrooms. Teachers reported that managing technology distractions often leads to increased suspensions, which they prefer to avoid due to the additional workload it creates. There was a call for better support systems for teachers to help manage classroom behavior and reduce the need for suspensions.

Additionally, board members raised questions about the potential for cross-referencing data on suspensions and absenteeism with student surveys to identify underlying issues. They suggested that understanding whether students feel they have supportive adults in school could provide insights into absenteeism trends.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to further investigate the factors contributing to chronic absenteeism in the Latino community and to enhance strategies for engaging these families effectively. Board members expressed a desire for more comprehensive data collection and analysis to inform future interventions.