Board approves $150,000 for 'Every Day Counts' attendance campaign; staff to report after 2025‑26 school year
Loading...
Summary
The board repurposed $150,000 from FY25 carryforward funds to support the 'Every Day Counts' attendance campaign for the 2025–26 school year and added a requirement that staff report on campaign performance at the end of the 2025–26 school year; the motion passed 14–1.
The Utah State Board of Education approved repurposing $150,000 from FY25 carryforward balances to fund the "Every Day Counts" attendance campaign for the 2025–26 school year and directed staff to provide a performance report at the conclusion of that school year.
Member Kelly, who introduced the motion, said the attendance audit showed a statewide attendance problem and described the campaign as one element — not a cure — in a broader set of steps to improve attendance. "This campaign is something that our staff...has been moving forward with," Kelly said, noting other efforts such as coaching for local education agencies.
Board members debated the measure's timing and focus. Member Boggess opposed the funding, arguing the board should address audit findings — including educator absenteeism and data reliability — before spending money on a campaign. "If we're not gonna address what's going on inside our schools, yelling from the rooftops that school is important is gonna be fruitless," Boggess said.
Staff and members discussed how campaign success would be measured. Benjie Carrier of the attendance team and communications staff said measuring direct causation is difficult but that the agency would use marketing metrics and earned-media valuation, and that the campaign work would include targeted outreach, webinars, individualized coaching for over 20 LEAs, social media posts and other materials. Member Carrie successfully moved to amend the motion to require a staff report summarizing campaign performance, including key data and metrics, at the conclusion of the 2025–26 school year; that amendment passed unanimously.
The final motion to repurpose $150,000 for the campaign passed 14–1; Member Boggess cast the lone vote in opposition. The motion was made by Member Kelly and seconded by Member Davis. Staff said the funds would be used to hire PR/marketing support and to expand outreach already undertaken by the attendance team and communications staff.
Board discussion referenced the attendance audit's recommendations and staff said the audit's recommendations are being parsed across departments and that rule work related to attendance (Rule 04/19 referenced in the audit) is planned for committee review in November. Staff said they are meeting with superintendents and LEAs to provide coaching and to implement other audit recommendations while the campaign runs.
