Assistant Superintendent Morgan Gross presented a district plan to address chronic absenteeism and described survey results the district used to identify causes and next steps.
Gross told the board the state calculates chronic absenteeism through school performance reports and that the district used parent surveys and early-warning data to shape interventions. “The state of New Jersey does calculate chronic absenteeism, and that is actually through our school performance report,” Gross said.
Gross said the district sent parent surveys at two schools and used the results along with school conversations to develop strategies. The parent survey “cited that there were 75% said it health related absences. 11% reported transportation issues,” Gross said. She said the schools had 108 responses out of “700 plus” parents.
Nut graf: The presentation framed chronic absenteeism as a statewide issue and said the district will start multi-tiered strategies in the coming school year and monitor progress to reduce absenteeism.
Gross described the tools the district is using and planned timing. She said staff reviewed early-warning systems in the student information system and that automated letters are generated from that data; the district plans to add more tracking detail. “Not that they don't Yes. That would be done through our Genesis or state reporting,” Gross said of the reporting process. She also said the district will apply multi-tiered strategies and begin them “in the beginning of next, you know, September,” then continue to monitor and include restorative approaches.
Supporters and school teams discussed possible incentives and parent-organization involvement. Gross cautioned that incentive plans need testing before broad promotion: “we have to make sure it will work before I state anything.” She said schools will rely on parent organizations to help design incentive approaches and that some grades—she cited eighth graders—are showing higher absence rates.
Discussion versus decision: The presentation and data review were informational. No vote or formal board action on attendance policy or funding was recorded in the transcript. Gross described next steps the district will take (staff-level implementation and monitoring) but there was no motion or formal directive recorded.
Ending: The district plans to begin multi-tiered interventions next school year, monitor results through the student information system, and continue outreach to parents; details on specific incentives and any related budget requests were not specified in the public remarks.