ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

Strategies for
Overcoming Chronic Absenteeism in Texas Schools

Texas is facing significant challenges with chronic absenteeism: throughout Texas, the number of chronically absent students increased to 26% in the 2021-2022 school year. However, there are proven strategies for addressing absenteeism. 

During this on-demand webinar, we address the specific challenges faced by Texas districts and share effective solutions for increasing student attendance rates and improving engagement between schools and families. 

Our expert speakers, including Dr. Tameka Lewis, District Student Attendance & Dropout Prevention Coordinator for Grand Prairie ISD, discuss the strategies that have yielded tangible results.

You’ll learn:

  • Ways to tackle common communication and attendance challenges facing Texas districts
  • Practical advice from a Texas district leader who has achieved positive outcomes in increasing attendance 
  • How the SchoolStatus unified platform can revolutionize attendance monitoring, streamline processes, and enhance family engagement
ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

Strategies for
Overcoming Chronic Absenteeism in Texas Schools

Meet the Speakers

Dr. Tameka Lewis
District Student Attendance & Dropout Prevention Coordinator, Grand Prairie ISD

Beginning as a second-grade teacher, Dr. Tameka Lewis currently serves as the Student Attendance & Dropout Prevention Coordinator in Grand Prairie ISD, with over 15 years of dedicated experience in education. Throughout her various roles within GPISD, Dr. Lewis has consistently demonstrated a profound passion for guiding students toward decisions that pave the way for a bright future. In her current position, she focuses on developing innovative strategies to enhance student attendance, graduation rates, and family engagement, all with the overarching goal of maximizing student achievement. Dr. Lewis’s commitment extends beyond her professional duty, as she is also a parent who has raised three remarkable children within the Grand Prairie school district. Her dual perspective as both an educator and a parent enriches her approach to fostering positive outcomes for students and contributes to her effectiveness in her role.

Headshot of Dr. Kara Stern.
Dr. Kara Stern
Director, Education and Engagement, SchoolStatus

When she was in 2nd grade, Dr. Kara Stern decided she wanted to be a teacher. Her commitment to education never waivered. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Stern began her career as a high school English teacher, later becoming a middle school principal, Executive Director of Math for America, and education content strategist for EdTech marketing teams. A writer and contributor to many publications, Dr. Stern is an education thought leader, creating K-12 resources for teachers and principals. She was a Klingenstein Fellow and earned a Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning from NYU. Dr. Stern brings her knowledge and advocacy for consistent, data-driven school communications to SchoolStatus. Outside academia, Dr. Stern indulges her love for reading, devouring two novels weekly, with a particular fondness for heists and spy stories.

Brenda Tapp
Senior Customer Success Manager, SchoolStatus

As the Senior Customer Success Manager at SchoolStatus, Brenda Tapp is in constant conversations with the school and district staff who are tasked with improving student attendance. With over 2 decades of experience in overseeing daily operations and leading high-performing intervention and technical training teams, Brenda has honed her expertise in attendance management and interventions. She actively participates with the State Attendance Review Board, serving as liaison with district leaders and collaborating with IT and front-line staff to implement best practices and achieve remarkable attendance goals.