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North Wasco County SD 21 work session flags attendance gaps despite post‑COVID recovery
Summary
At a Jan. 16 work session, North Wasco County SD 21 staff reported overall attendance has improved since the pandemic but remains below pre‑pandemic levels, with notable disparities for students who are houseless, in special education, English learners, and non‑binary students.
At a Jan. 16, 2025 work session, North Wasco County School District 21 leaders told the board that overall attendance is showing signs of post‑COVID recovery but has not returned to pre‑pandemic levels. District staff identified English learners, students in special education (except at Innovations Academy), houseless students and non‑binary students as groups with persistently lower attendance rates and recommended targeted interventions.
Staff also reported a surprising local pattern: students who live in walk zones attend at higher rates than those in bus zones, challenging prior assumptions about transportation as the primary barrier. District leaders flagged houselessness, transportation, and family socioeconomic challenges as the main drivers and proposed deeper family outreach, home visits, and flexible attendance policies for alternative programs.
The board asked staff to continue subgroup and longitudinal analyses and to convene focus groups with families and students to better understand barriers. The district plans to present detailed school‑level data at the April work session to inform targeted strategies.
