District report: attendance linked to grades; concern over high chronic absenteeism at upper‑grades
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Summary
Superintendent Wendy Dow presented district high‑school chronic‑absence data showing large increases in some cohorts (noting more than 70% chronic absence in a few 12th‑grade science classes) and reported that attendance explains about 25% of GPA variance; board members asked for more breakdowns and parent communications.
The Provo City School District on Jan. 13 emphasized attendance as a key driver of student outcomes after a staff presentation on chronic absenteeism trends and the correlation between attendance and grades.
Superintendent Wendy Dow defined chronic absenteeism as missing more than 10% of school days and said staff compared first‑quarter data from 2024 and 2025. She highlighted a ninth‑grade cohort model at Tempe View that appears to lower absence rates and contrasted that with alarming upper‑grade figures: "in twelfth grade, it's just disastrous," she said, noting some twelfth‑grade science classes showed chronic‑absence rates above 70 percent.
Dow summarized an analysis showing attendance explains roughly 25 percent of the variance in a student's grade‑point average. She also presented a correlation measure for math attendance and GPA (0.547) and cited second graphs showing that among students who earned an F and were chronically absent, nine in ten in some categories missed the 10% threshold (transcript examples: ninth grade math — 75 percent; twelfth grade math — 84 percent; ELA — 88 percent for some cohorts).
Board members and student board representatives discussed cohort approaches, targeted supports and whether high‑school quarter length influences student disengagement. A student board member said many students had accepted temporary walls and changes in the cafeteria and expressed optimism about improved facilities.
Dow and her staff recommended further analysis (including excused vs. unexcused absences, school‑level breakdowns and elementary comparisons) and said the district would share clear, parent‑facing materials to help families understand attendance consequences. "We do want to pull some comparative data with our elementary schools and then as we share that..." Dow said, adding that communications and principal outreach would be part of the effort.
Board members asked staff to provide additional breakdowns and requested materials for parent nights and community councils. The district said it will follow up with more detailed, school‑level data and communications plans.
