Chelsea School District cites improving attendance trend and announces CHS top SAT college‑readiness rank in Washtenaw County

Superintendent Mike Kopulka said chronic absenteeism remains a concern for the Chelsea School District but that the district’s three‑year trend is improving, and he highlighted Chelsea High School’s strong SAT college‑readiness performance.

Kopulka defined chronic absenteeism using the Michigan Department of Education standard: "a student who misses 10% or more of the school year, which is about 18 days for us, is categorized by the Michigan Department of Education as being chronically absent." He said the state average over the past three years reached approximately 33 percent and that Chelsea has seen similar pandemic‑era patterns tied to lingering health concerns, student mental health challenges and difficulties reestablishing routines. "What's encouraging is that the trend data over the last 3 years in our district is improving," Kopulka said.

On college readiness, Kopulka explained that SAT benchmarks in evidence‑based reading and writing and math indicate a roughly 75 percent probability a student will earn at least a C in a related first‑year college course. He announced that Chelsea High School ranks second among comparable peer districts and "is ranked number 1 amongst public schools for achieving the highest college readiness score in Washtenaw County," crediting students and educators for the achievement. He urged families to support attendance by creating consistent home routines and connecting with teachers or school counselors so the district can provide resources.