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Topeka USD 501 outlines strategies as chronic absenteeism declines since pandemic spike
Summary
District officials presented data showing chronic absenteeism rose during COVID and has fallen in recent years; principals described local strategies — home visits, van pickup, incentives and family engagement — that they say are reducing absenteeism at several schools.
Topeka Public Schools administrators presented a districtwide review of chronic absenteeism Wednesday and told the Board of Education that rates spiked during the COVID pandemic but have declined in recent years, with several schools now at or below the state benchmark.
District staff defined chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of school days (about 17–18 days a year in the district) whether excused or unexcused. Officials distinguished chronic absenteeism from truancy, which is limited to unexcused absences and is handled under Kansas law.
A district presentation showed chronic absenteeism rose during the pandemic and has fallen 3 to 5 percentage points in recent years. The district's goal is to reach the state benchmark of about 19 percent. Staff said the district was around 20–21 percent pre-pandemic, reduced to around 11–12 percent in 2019–20 after targeted efforts, and then spiked during COVID. Current year-to-date rates and school-by-school details were presented to the board.
Principals from multiple schools described school-level strategies they credited with reducing absences. Reported examples included daily greetings at entrances, targeted outreach to at‑risk students, home visits by counselors and SROs, monthly incentives and raffles organized by student councils, partnership with community organizations for food distribution, lunch-buddy and mentoring programs, and a school van used to pick up students who miss the bus.
Examples and reported rates included: - Scott Dual Language Magnet: rate reportedly in single digits; principal credited relationship building, counseling and classroom rewards. - McCarter Elementary: 9% current rate; school used a lunch-buddy program and an expanded site council. - Topeka West High School: about 13.4% year-to-date; staff use daily reports to call families and emphasize internal motivation for older students. - Jardine Middle School: current rate reported at 12.6% (down from mid- to high-teens); school uses admin-led weekly reviews and attendance incentives.
District staff said they monitor attendance data daily through the student information system dashboard, allowing principals and counselors to identify students close to the chronic‑absence threshold and intervene. The district also said it consults attendanceworks.org for tools and uses data consults and school improvement plans to set and track attendance goals.
Board members asked for follow-up materials including a spreadsheet that lists each school’s attendance goal, current chronic absenteeism rate and free/reduced lunch percentage; staff agreed to provide that as an attachment to the update.
Officials identified poverty, transportation barriers, housing instability and increasing student mental‑health needs (anxiety and school avoidance) as persistent barriers to reducing absenteeism, particularly in higher‑poverty schools. Principals described strategies to address those barriers, including partnerships with mental‑health staff, community resources and targeted outreach to families.
District leaders said the work is collaborative and requires parent and community engagement. No board action was taken; the presentation was informational and district staff said they will continue monitoring, provide requested school-level goal spreadsheets and report back to the board.
