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Board hears Goal 5 cohort review and Q1 absenteeism/dropout update; math failure and excused absences surfaced as key issues

Norfolk Public Schools School Board · November 13, 2025

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Summary

Presenters tied declines in "on-track" advanced diploma rates to course grades (particularly math) and described weekly data reports, transcript reviews, course-recovery planning and early-warning tools to reduce dropout risk (under 350 chars).

At a combined workshop and business meeting, Norfolk Public Schools staff outlined progress and next steps on Board Goal 5 (advanced diploma on-track rates) and the quarter 1 reports on chronic absenteeism and dropout prevention.

Kristen McGarity presented cohort-level data showing the 2026 cohort—s on-track rate dropping to about 30.8% when course grades are included, with math identified as the largest single area of failure. "The highest failure rate is going to be in math for this cohort," McGarity said, and staff identified course grades (not enrollment) as the chief driver of the cohort decline.

To respond, the division is sending weekly student-level reports to schools that flag four-core course grades, conducting transcript reviews to identify missing verified credits, expanding tutor.com usage and developing a "within-course recovery" model so students can recover a unit or quarter rather than an entire course later.

On chronic absenteeism, McGarity reported a quarter 1 figure higher than the state (17.9% vs. 14.8%) and described attendance-recovery programs and training for attendance technicians to enable real-time monitoring. Staff emphasized that excused absences are included in chronic absenteeism counts and that many cases currently reflect excused reasons rather than suspensions.

Board members asked how early-warning flags translate into supports; staff described a new PowerSchool at-risk dashboard that aggregates discipline, attendance, grades and overage and allows principals to identify students by cohort year. Graduation coaches, counselors and principals now meet weekly at most schools to coordinate interventions; coaches also do outreach and home visits for students at high risk of dropout.

The board did not vote on policy changes during the session but directed staff to provide follow-up reports on the effectiveness of tutor.com, within-course recovery pilots and the PowerSchool risk dashboard.