Stop Chronic Absenteeism in Its Tracks

Every school population continues to address issues that became pronounced after long periods of isolation. For many, it is difficult to foster engagement and garner excitement about attending school again in the post–pandemic climate. As Districts work to find the best ways to support staff and students—and curb chronic absenteeism—here are some encouraging signs of how efforts for re-entry are working.

Districts who have partnered with SchoolStatus Attend have had success in tackling chronic absenteeism. The data-driven attendance management platform provides automatic interventions and positive reinforcement to support student success, increase daily attendance, and reduce administrative overhead. By using automated and scheduled outreach throughout the school year, administrators are reducing the time spent on attendance management by up to 75%. Instead of manually reviewing attendance logs, stuffing envelopes for attendance letters, and planning family conferences for absent students, school and district leaders are using the platform’s effective tracking and outreach so all families in the district can help feel connected.  
When SchoolStatus partnered with the California Department of Education, they took a deep–dive to study absenteeism in 30 districts across the State. Districts who implemented SchoolStatus Attend saw an improvement in attendance in both urban and rural schools.

When we think about how absences add up, it is easier to shift the way we talk about the importance of returning to a healthy attendance routine. Rather than use language to simply reprimand truancy, we can think about ways to inform families about the larger impact of one day missed and offer solutions to encourage student success. 

Proactive communication helps ensure positivity, build relationships, and deliver on objectives. Through positive reinforcement, schools can encourage great attendance habits with mailings such as postcards sent directly to students and year-round updates to families. By focusing on proactive outreach instead of punitive measures, SchoolStatus Attend sees 54% of at-risk kids returning to school after their initial contact. Automated messages, mailed interventions, and proactive outreach helps stop chronic absenteeism in its tracks. 

This is an urgent matter, but if we work together with families—and use outreach tools to identify patterns early—we can start to build a plan that improves the future habits of our students.