Gadsden ISD reports 33.2% chronic absenteeism districtwide; several schools exceed 40%

The Gadsden Independent School District reported a districtwide attendance rate of 91.1% and a chronic absenteeism rate of 33.2% during a board update presented June 5.

The presentation by the district attendance coordinator, Miss Complido, itemized campus-by-campus rates. Chaparral High School had the highest chronic absenteeism among traditional high schools at 48.7%, followed by Gadsden High School at 40.6% and Desert Pride Academy at 70.5%. Several elementary and middle schools reported chronic absenteeism rates in the mid-to-high 20s and 30s: Chaparral Elementary 30.6%, Chaparral Middle School 39.7%, and Sunrise Elementary 28.3%.

The report defined attendance rate as “the total number of days attended by all students divided by the total number of possible attendance days multiplied by 100,” and chronic absenteeism as students absent 10% or more of enrolled days, the district’s staff explained. Miss Complido presented the campus list and rates in sequence to the board.

Board members asked no follow-up questions during the presentation. The report was provided to the board for information; no policy or budget decision accompanied the update.

District officials did not include a districtwide action plan in the presentation; the board packet and slides show rates by campus and the attendance and chronic-absence formulas that staff used to compute them.

District staff said the figures represent the current reporting period; the presentation did not specify next-step interventions or timelines for targeted campuses.