Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Attendance Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees press for disaggregated absenteeism targets, ask staff to track subgroup growth
Summary
Board members asked staff for historical absenteeism baselines and disaggregated elementary/middle/high targets and asked staff to craft a local-assessment success indicator tracking progress for English learners, low-income students and students with disabilities.
Trustees flagged chronic absenteeism as a pressing concern and sought more detailed, level-specific targets. Staff reported midyear chronic-absence rates (elementary 10.9%, middle 12%, high 18.8%) and trustees asked staff to provide historical pre‑COVID baselines so the board can judge whether proposed reductions are realistic.
Several trustees advocated separating absenteeism targets by elementary, middle and high school because the district’s challenges differ by level; others said the success indicator can remain uniform while staff provide disaggregated data for transparency. Staff agreed to return historical data and to present separate level breakdowns.
On equity, trustees asked staff to develop a local-assessment-based success indicator focused on narrowing gaps for English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. Trustees requested baselines and modest growth targets (staff suggested 2–3%), and asked staff to bring recommended target percentages and measurement approaches to the May meeting.
