Moline-Coal Valley reports 16.2% drop in chronic absenteeism; district outlines next steps

District staff told the Moline-Coal Valley CUSD 40 Board of Education on Jan. 26 that the district’s efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism are producing measurable results. A presenter said chronic absenteeism in Illinois is defined as a student missing 18 or more school days in a year and that the district set a goal to reduce that rate by 10 percent. "As of Dec. 25, our chronic absenteeism has been reduced by 16.2%," the presenter reported.

The presenter outlined steps that contributed to the decline: targeted family communication in multiple languages, school-level attendance goals, incentives and a districtwide “Maroon Show Up” campaign tied to spirit wear fundraising, monthly attendance tips via the Remind system, and expanded partnerships with community providers such as the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club. Staff said schools have tightened coding and tracking practices to ensure attendance is recorded consistently across buildings.

Board members asked whether the 16.2% figure represented overall district attendance or only targeted subgroups; staff clarified the figure was an overall, year-to-date comparison to last year. Trustees praised the marketing outreach and said such work could support regional recruitment and community image efforts.

Next steps the district listed include continuing targeted interventions for families nearing the chronic-absence threshold, expanding before- and after-school care at elementary sites in partnership with the YMCA, compiling more granular end-of-year breakdowns by student group, and sharing updated attendance analytics over the summer to guide further intervention.