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Attendance strong at elementary level; district sets aggressive chronic absenteeism goal
Summary
Officials reported elementary attendance above 90% and chronic absenteeism at 26% (down from above 40% two years ago), with a board goal to reduce chronic absenteeism to 15% by the end of the school year and tactics including outreach and senior participation thresholds.
Administrators reported that elementary attendance is "above 90%" and that district chronic absenteeism has fallen to 26% from over 40% two years ago. The board set an ambitious target to reduce chronic absenteeism to 15% by the end of the school year.
Staff described tactics they use to improve attendance, including outreach (calls, letters, home visits), incentives and, as a last resort, truancy protocols tied to the court system. A board member said making commencement eligibility contingent on a threshold attendance rate (for example, 85% for seniors) has prompted families to support attendance efforts.
The board noted that some absenteeism stems from factors outside school control (sleep, food security) and emphasized partnering with families to address barriers. No new policy was adopted at the meeting.
