Romney Marsh reports big drops in chronic absenteeism after systems push
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Summary
Romney Marsh Academy leaders told the Revere School Committee they cut chronic absenteeism from about 25% in 2024 to roughly 12.8% in 2025 and credited a systems approach — attendance teams, coaching, family engagement and student restorative-justice ambassadors — for gains in attendance and MCAS scores.
Romney Marsh Academy principal Heather told the Revere School Committee on Nov. 18 that the school has dramatically reduced chronic absenteeism through a coordinated systems approach that combines attendance teams, targeted family engagement and regular instructional coaching.
"We went from a 25 percent chronic absenteeism rate in 2024 to a 12.8 percent in 2025," Heather said, and added the school exceeded chronic-absence targets across every student subgroup. She also reported assessment gains: an average 3.5-point increase in ELA MCAS scores and a 7.2-point rise in science for high-needs students over one year.
The presenters described concrete steps behind the numbers: an attendance team led by the coordinator of operations, data and assessment; individualized, data-driven success plans developed with counselors and nurses; family engagement events and parent coffees to solicit feedback; and a district student-information tool (referred to in the meeting as "Who Knew It") that flags students trending toward chronic absence so staff can intervene earlier.
Administrators also emphasized classroom-level changes. The school has increased coaching and peer observations, requiring weekly lesson-plan submissions and logging more than 300 classroom observations so far this year to focus teachers on grade-level rigorous tasks, clear daily purposes and strategies that put students doing the thinking in class.
Students from the school's restorative-justice ambassador program described that work as an experience in relationship-building and communication that helps peers work together, read body language and engage more confidently in class.
Committee members praised the results and asked for follow-up details. One member requested more information on educator-retention practices and whether district budget funds would be required to scale successful practices; presenters said they will bring specifics after an upcoming Barr Foundation meeting.
The presentation did not include a formal vote or motion; committee members expressed general support and asked administrators to return with implementation and funding details.