Spotlight: District presenter flags 49% chronic absenteeism, outlines interventions

The Seaside School District opened its regular board meeting with a spotlight report that showed a concerning chronic-absence figure and outlined several near-term interventions. The district presenter said the chronically absent rate is 49 percent year-to-date, while daily attendance averages roughly 86 percent; staff said the district has seen a 5 percentage-point improvement compared with last year.

The presentation tied some of the changes in statewide proficiency rates to changes in testing policy and opt-outs since the pandemic. The presenter explained that only 11th graders now take the statewide high-school assessment and that interim assessments under Senate Bill 141 will be introduced. The presenter added that opt-outs have ranged from about 20% to 44% in recent years, which alters participation and proficiency comparisons and complicates year-to-year interpretation.

To address attendance and on-track indicators, the presenter described the district’s freshmen-on-track team and student-success teams that meet regularly to monitor attendance, grades and behavior. The board heard about targeted first-period organizational supports for at-risk ninth graders, specialized intervention roles in special education and plans to expand dual-credit courses with Clatsop Community College. Staff also noted a regional grant-funded medical assistant (MA) program planned for 2027 to increase career pathways for local students.

“The chronically absent rate is 49 percent,” the presenter said during the report, urging the board to consider both districtwide interventions and classroom-level metrics when evaluating progress.

Board members pressed staff for additional, classroom-level evidence showing where instruction and learning are improving, and asked for follow-up metrics the board can review during the current budget cycle.