Washington County reports near‑95% average daily attendance; board hears strategies to sustain gains

District leaders presented attendance figures and interventions to the board at the Sept. 22 work session, showing Washington County’s average daily attendance around 94% and chronic absenteeism rates well below state and national averages.

Staff described multiple tactics principals and schools use to improve attendance, including home visits to welcome new students, business partnerships that offer rewards when students attend, school stores that provide incentives, targeted conferences with parents when attendance and grades decline together, and focused outreach to families facing barriers such as health concerns.

A presentation compared district consistent‑attendance measures (students missing fewer than 10 days per year) with state and national data. Staff said the district outperforms the state by several percentage points on consistent attendance; the presenter noted Utah’s statewide chronic absenteeism rate was about 23.8% in 2023 and that national figures were higher.

Board members asked how the district treats excused versus unexcused absences. Staff said Utah law allows parents to excuse absences for a broad set of reasons; the district focuses enforcement on unexcused absences. Under current procedure, after 10 unexcused absences the district sends a letter and requires a mandatory meeting; another 10 unexcused absences can trigger referral to child‑welfare or juvenile justice systems.

Members praised teachers and principals for creating a welcoming school culture and acknowledged demographic and family circumstances can affect some schools’ attendance trends. Staff said targeted, school‑level interventions and a focus on relationships with students are key to maintaining strong attendance.