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Petersburg schools aim to cut chronic absenteeism; district establishes attendance task force and prevention plan
Summary
Superintendent and staff outlined an attendance strategy that includes a new attendance task force, early‑warning data review, home‑visit support, community partnerships and targets for reducing chronic absenteeism. District officials reported chronic absenteeism at about 32.5% as of Dec. 20, 2024 and said preventive steps will be prioritized.
Petersburg City Public Schools officials told the board they will intensify efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism by using a preventive, division‑wide approach and a new attendance task force.
Chief of staff Dr. Yasmin Gay told the board the task force will analyze school‑level attendance data, run early‑warning systems, coordinate family‑engagement campaigns, and recommend staffing and program changes. Gay said chronic absenteeism was 38.75% in 2021–22, fell in 2022–23, rose to 35.12% in 2023–24 and was 32.53% as of Dec. 20, 2024.
The district stressed that chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year — roughly 18 days in a 180‑day year, or about two to three days per month. Under that measure, even what might seem like a few absences each month can push a student into the chronically absent category, Gay said.
The task force includes district staff who work in attendance, data, family engagement, mental‑health supports and truancy case management. Gay named members in the meeting: Dr. Tori Manson, Dr. Brandy Lee, Rochelle Hines (data director), Chief Academic Officer Paul Brown, Tori White (mental‑health and wellness coordinator) and truancy lead Janeska Jefferson. Gay said principals and students will be added to the task force so school‑level plans are practical and informed by classroom experience.
Janeska Jefferson, the district’s truancy lead, described the case‑management process: attendance teams at schools flag students and issue tiered notices (3‑day, 5‑day and a 7‑unexcused‑absence notification); once a student reaches seven unexcused absences the truancy team moves more intensively to address barriers with home visits, referrals and coordination with external services such as CSA/FAB, local mental‑health providers and court services when necessary. Jefferson said the district uses community partners to address family‑level barriers including housing instability and transportation.
Board members asked how long training would take and whether recovery and transportation services could be reintroduced as part of the plan. Gay and Jefferson said the task force will study successful school‑level practices, recommend targeted staffing and may add recovery or transportation supports. Superintendent Brown emphasized the board’s responsibility to address elementary‑level absenteeism as an early intervention to prevent long‑term patterns and said the division will report back with more detailed, school‑by‑school plans.
Next steps include finalizing the task force membership, completing the attendance‑toolkit review, producing school‑level data reviews, recommending staffing and programs, and returning to the board with implementation details and progress metrics.
