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Appleton schools report early signs of reduced chronic absenteeism after attendance ordinance; monitoring continues
Summary
Superintendent Hartchess told the committee the district has started communications, attendance lessons and supports after the Oct. 15 attendance ordinance; first‑quarter high‑school chronic absenteeism fell to 16.7% (about 200 fewer students) and the district will monitor 315 students who met the truancy threshold.
Superintendent Hartchess updated the Safety and Licensing Committee on Dec. 10 about how the Appleton Area School District has implemented the city’s attendance ordinance passed Oct. 15 and the district’s early monitoring results.
Hartchess said the district sent a communication to parents and staff, included summaries in family newsletters, created a student‑facing video and had students sign to confirm they watched it. "Students generally don't read our emails... so we created a video," he said, noting the district also began attendance education lessons for students who have already met thresholds for chronic absenteeism or habitual truancy.
He reported that 315 high‑school students met the truancy threshold in the first quarter and that the district’s first‑quarter chronic absenteeism rate was 16.7% — about 200 fewer chronically absent students than the prior year. Hartchess cautioned the committee that the district would watch the second quarter before drawing firm conclusions and said the law focuses on the truancy piece (habitual unexcused absences), which can rise as the semester progresses.
The superintendent described layered supports given to students — school resource officers, deans, social workers, counselors, principals and Youth and Family Services representatives — and said the district has not yet recommended any students for citation. He told the committee the district will re‑evaluate the initial 315 students on Dec. 15 and implement further supports as needed, and that possible citation or referral would come only after further review.
Committee members asked if the district had received substantive feedback on the communications; Hartchess said families had provided informal, generally positive feedback and students’ reactions were mixed. Alders also asked whether the ordinance work included middle and elementary schools; Hartchess said outreach and campaigns are underway for younger grades as well and the district is discussing whether to pursue parent ticketing in specific circumstances but had not made a decision.
Hartchess said he planned to return with second‑quarter results and additional detail for the committee.
