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Richland One presents plan to reduce chronic absenteeism after pandemic spike
Summary
District officials told the board chronic absenteeism rose to about 33% after the pandemic and is down to roughly 27.8%; administrators outlined data accuracy, early intervention, tiered supports and community partnerships as the path to meet a 2029 goal at or below the state average.
Miss Kelly Campbell, the district attendance lead, told the Richland One Board of School Commissioners on Sept. 24 that chronic absenteeism — defined by the district as missing 10% or more of school days — surged after the pandemic and remains a key barrier to student progress.
Campbell said the district peaked near 33% the first full year back, dipped to about 29%, and is currently around 27.8%. "Chronic absenteeism is really that point that shows us where students are," she said, noting that missing roughly two days a month translates to about 18 days per school year and correlates with lower test scores and higher dropout risk.
The district framed its response around three core elements: accurate attendance data, early intervention and a tiered system of supports. Campbell described universal, classroom-level strategies (tier one), targeted outreach for students with repeated absences (tier two), and intensive, individualized interventions (tier three) when needed. She said the district has trained administrators, engaged Attendance Works for 14 priority schools and secured a state "attendance coach" grant to support five high-need schools.
Board members asked how quickly the district intervenes. Campbell said staff aim to begin outreach after the first absence and intensify support by the second absence in a month. Commissioners pressed for special attention to pre-K and kindergarten families, and for clearer parent messaging; Campbell highlighted September as Attendance Awareness Month and district efforts such as spirit weeks, parent outreach at car lines, and classroom morning meetings.
On funding, Campbell said grant awards and the state-funded attendance coach are helping; she described the grant-funded coach as enabling concentrated support at select schools while office staff assist others. The administration also reported roughly 50 classroom teacher vacancies districtwide and emphasized that early attendance gains require both staffing and sustained school-level planning.
The board did not take a formal vote on the presentation itself. The next steps included continued rollout of school attendance plans, monitoring of the Attendance Works partnership, and outreach to elementary families to reduce early‑grade absences.
