Real Attendance Gains: How Two Districts Engage Families to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
Districts have never been under more attendance scrutiny. Both federal and state governments are demanding results.
Attendance staff are stretched thin. They often have to prioritize meeting compliance requirements: sending notices, logging contacts, and meeting compliance requirements.
But how do you really move the needle and improve attendance in a meaningful and lasting way?
Two California districts shifted their approach: moving beyond mass messaging and focusing on timely, personalized outreach that builds real family trust.
Find out how San Lorenzo USD and Garden Grove USD: identified which students needed more than a message, connected with families earlier, and how those relationships improved attendance by X%.
Real Attendance Gains: How Two Districts Engage Families to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
In this District Administration webinar, San Lorenzo USD and Garden Grove USD share:
- Why proactive outreach works better than reactive notices—and how districts are shifting their communication approach
- What relationship-based attendance strategies look like in practice—and how districts measure their impact
- How middle and high schools are re-engaging students who have already begun to disengage
- Practical steps districts can take right now to build family trust and stabilize attendance before the school year closes
Whether your district is just starting to rethink attendance outreach or looking to strengthen what’s already working, you’ll leave with practical strategies you can put into action right away.
Meet the Speakers
Rocio Gonzalez-Romero has served the San Lorenzo Unified School District for over a decade as a Child Welfare and Attendance Specialist. Her work is grounded in equity-based and trauma-informed practices, ensuring students and families feel supported rather than punished. Through a strong community-centered approach, Rocio is dedicated to decreasing chronic absenteeism and helping students stay connected to school.
Marvin Atkins currently serves as the Director of Student Services for the Garden Grove Unified School District, a role he has held since July 1, 2025. With over two decades of experience in public education as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and district leader, Marvin brings a systems-focused approach to student services that centers on attendance, engagement, and whole-child supports. In his current role, he oversees critical programs including McKinney-Vento and Foster Youth services, attendance interventions and SARB, systems of care through ASPIRE, crisis response, and cross-departmental collaboration designed to proactively address barriers to student success. Known for building coherent, data-informed structures that support schools while reducing unnecessary burden, Marvin is deeply committed to creating environments where students feel supported, connected, and present—both physically and emotionally—so they can thrive academically and personally.
Dr. Kara Stern has seen school from just about every angle: high school English teacher, middle school principal, fellowship director for math and science teachers across New York City, and head of school at a rural N-12 school. That breadth is what she brings to her work at SchoolStatus, where she writes, speaks, and challenges educators to build the kinds of school communities where every student thrives. She holds a Master’s in Education Leadership from Teachers College and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from NYU.