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Las Cruces Public Schools shrinks its chronically absent cohort but misses its 50% reduction target; district expands mentorship and incentives
Summary
The district reported a small year-over-year decline in chronic absenteeism (from 33% to 30% at end of 2023'4) and described new grants, a network of social work interns, mentorship efforts and a high-school incentive plan to further cut absences.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Las Cruces Public Schools executives reported on Aug. 12 that chronic absenteeism declined modestly over the most recent school year but did not reach the district's stated target of a 50% reduction.
Nut graf: The district's chronic-absence rate was 33% at the end of 2022'3 and reduced to about 30% at the close of the 2023'4 school year. Staff said the change reflects targeted work but acknowledged that much of the district's absence burden remains concentrated among a smaller cohort of students who miss 20% or more of school days.
Details and steps: - Breakdown: About 2,620 students missed 20% or more of school (the most severe category); roughly 4,975 students missed 10% to 20% of days. Staff said students are shifting down from the most severe category into the 10'20% range, an intermediate improvement measure. The district noted the complexity of measuring students who change enrollment midyear. - Grants and staffing: LCPS received an initial $200,000 Attendance for Success allotment from the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) and applied for an additional $550,000; the district is awaiting further awards. District officials are recommending the addition of a fourth attendance social worker (the system currently has three plus a manager), subject to funding. - Mentors and interns: The district is onboarding a cohort of about 30 social work interns to support attendance and will intensify home visits and mentorship programs; staff said the interns began training in mid-August and will be deployed to schools. - Incentives and programming: The district described a private donation (car-dealer group) earmarked for high-school attendance incentives, with quarterly prizes and end-of-year awards for eligible students. Board members discussed the limits of punitive approaches and emphasized supportive, community-based strategies to reduce barriers to attendance.
Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism correlates with lower achievement and higher dropout risk; the district framed its approach as a mix of prevention, mentoring, community-school partnerships and targeted supports rather than only punitive measures.
Ending: District staff said they will continue data deep-dives to identify subgroups and school-level differences, share best practices across sites and return with additional data during the next reporting cycle. The board expressed support for continued emphasis on school-level ownership and cross-site collaboration.
Speakers: Amy (attendance lead, staff), Kathy (attendance manager, referenced), Superintendent Ruiz, board members.
