ISD 622 principals highlight attendance gains, student voice and equity efforts; district leaders outline budget pressures

Principals from Tartan High School, North High School and the district’s online and alternative high school updated the ISD 622 school board on Jan. 28 about attendance, equity and student supports, reporting incremental improvements in chronic absenteeism and highlighting extracurricular and affinity programs that staff say increase student engagement.

At Tartan, Principal Bethany Dissent said chronic absenteeism — measured as students absent 10 percent or more of school days — declined from 30.2 percent last year to 28.4 percent so far this school year and that Tartan is on track to meet a school improvement goal of reducing that rate to 35 percent districtwide. Dissent described bimonthly grade‑level support teams, a Promise Fellow position focused on students with chronic absence, and “Win Time” weekly sessions where students and staff can sign up for targeted supports. She described efforts to increase student voice, including a principals’ cabinet that meets during Win Time and small operational changes (for example, moving food service…