Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Attendance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Euclid Schools reports 40% chronic-absence rate and outlines attendance interventions
Summary
Attendance coordinator Jeremy Acree said Euclid's K–12 chronic-absence rate is about 40% for Aug. 15–Dec. 6, above Ohio’s 23–24 rate of 25.6%. The district is using nudges, ParentSquare notifications, partnerships (Proving Ground) and Browns grants to boost attendance and support student mental health.
Euclid City Schools presented data showing elevated chronic absenteeism and described multiple interventions to address the trend.
Jeremy Acree, the district’s attendance and residency coordinator, told the board that the district’s chronic-absence rate for the Aug. 15–Dec. 6 reporting period is about 40% (K–12). He contrasted that figure with Ohio’s 23–24 statewide chronic-absence rate of 25.6% and explained the difference between chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of school days) and truancy (consecutive unexcused absences). "This is based off of relationships when it comes to attendance," Acree said. "It's that simple."
Acree described several tactics Euclid is using: a Proving Ground partnership to test evidence-based interventions, a "personal attendance nudge" for K–3 families when students near chronic-absence thresholds, and monthly data check-ins. The district also uses ParentSquare notifications for secondary students to alert families about class cuts, absences or falling grade-level averages.
Acree highlighted recent community support: the Cleveland Browns provided a $2,500 attendance grant and the NFL/Browns offered a $10,000 grant opportunity to create a mental-health "stay-in-the-game" room in a chosen building; the district is discussing locating that room at the high school. He said the Browns partnership raises awareness and provides incentive opportunities but "doesn't fix attendance" on its own.
Staff noted early wins such as a decrease in office referrals and suspensions across buildings compared with the same period last year; Brown credited systems at Euclid High School for steep reductions in disciplinary referrals. Board members asked for ongoing updates and for a readable copy of the attendance data in the packet.
Acree said the district will continue to monitor notifications, randomize some outreach messages to test what works, and meet with Proving Ground on Jan. 6 for accountability and data review.
