Attendance Awareness Campaign Update

A project led by Attendance Works


August 14, 2024

What is Family Engagement?


Communicating clearly and often with families is essential to improve attendance and engagement. Recent research shows that schools with strong family engagement experienced better-than-expected attendance, achievement and school climate outcomes post-pandemic.


In a podcast, Learning Heroes’ Eyal Bergman explains how family engagement can build relationships with families who then feel a part of the school community.


Use chronic absence data from the prior school year to identify which schools, districts, grades and student groups might benefit the most from an even greater emphasis on relationship building and family engagement as you enter the new school year. 


We’ve collected a variety of resources for educators to share at the start of school that can help families and students get back into routine of regular attendance.


Panorama Education has tools to help educators learn what families think about their school. Consider the Family-School Relationships Survey, that can paint a picture of family attitudes about several key topics. Note: You must provide your email to access the survey. 


Use our just updated 2024 promotional materials for your awareness campaign. Find posters, coloring sheets, images, Facebook covers, and sample newsletter and social media messages on the AAC website.

 

Donate now

Reducing today’s high levels of chronic absence requires a continual focus on engagement, support and the rebuilding of routines. Donate today to help propel the push for a full educational recovery. Donate today!

Attendance Awareness Webinars

For our final AAC 2024 webinar, we will highlight the power of superintendents to move programs that improve student engagement and attendance. Register today!

 

  • Leadership For Sustainability: Superintendents Making A Difference, September 25, 2024, 12-1:30pm PT / 3-4:30pm ET.
  • Missed a webinar? Find the recording and materials on our website


Help to spread the word! Sample social media


Superintendents are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to ensure attention to attendance is integrated into a district’s overall approach to engagement and learning. Hear how during AAC webinar 4! Register today!

Attendance Tool Spotlight


The American Institutes for Research launched a new initiative to help school districts use evidence-based strategies to increase school attendance. AIR will partner with up to 10 school districts — at no cost — to strategize and implement solutions to chronic absenteeism. Districts interested in participating should fill out this form or contact AIR by email.


Many nonprofit organizations across the country are eager to partner with school districts but aren’t sure how to make this connection. The National Partnership for Student Success’ latest resource includes best practices for nonprofits for building relationships with school districts.


Data show that vaccination coverage among kindergartners has declined to its lowest level in decades. The Public Health Foundation has a new toolkit for educators to help keep students healthy and in school. 

Research Spotlight

A new study, English-Learner-Classified Students and Absenteeism: A Within-Group Analysis of Missing School, shows that chronic absenteeism has increased markedly for EL students. The results are surprising because EL students were less likely to be chronically absent before the pandemic when compared to non-EL students. 


The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a slight improvement in youth mental health, but also an increase in bullying and violence in schools. 


Bullying and lack of safety were cited as top concerns by 1,224 families in California schools who participated in PIQE’s Spring 2024 Family Needs Assessment.

State News

Rhode Island’s Attendance Matters RI campaign is off to the races. Check out its new short animated video. Learn more about the RI state wide approach in Team Sport, a new report from the nonprofit FutureEd.


We were pleased to participate in a recorded webinar sponsored by the National Governor’s Association that includes recent chronic absenteeism data and actionable strategies for governors’ offices and districts to boost student attendance and engagement.

Event Spotlight


The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Student Engagement and Attendance Center have created State Supports for Student, Family, and Community Engagement, a virtual learning series for state educational agencies, local educational agencies and partners. Register by Monday, August 19, 2024. 


Attendance Works is participating in a free webinar to discuss how districts can support the mental health of students to address the chronic absenteeism crisis and drive better health and learning outcomes. The 8/27 event, at 12:00pm PT/3:00pm ET, is sponsored by Daybreak Health. Register!


Calling school and district teams! Fall classes are now open in the Attendance Works Professional E-Learning series. Register and learn evidence-based interventions.

District Leadership PD


Would you like to boost your district administrator's ability to build better systems to improve engagement and attendance? Our Professional Leadership Attendance Network (PLAN) offers small groups an opportunity to learn from experts and each other, and organize a clear action plan to engage your district team. Attendance Works will provide input on your plan. Learn more here, or email lorri@attendanceworks.org and zach@attendanceworks.org

Partner Spotlight


The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading provides backbone support to a nationwide network of state and local coalitions working to disrupt the generational cycle of poverty by improving the prospects for third grade reading proficiency and early school success for children growing up in economically challenged families. 

 

  • CGLR’s Grade-Level Reading Week 2024 (July 22-26) featured a session exploring the causes behind the chronic absence spike and strategies to tackle it for education and community leaders.


FutureEd is an independent, solution-oriented think tank at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

 

  • Read FutureEd’s new report, Team Sport, describing how Rhode Island built a statewide coalition of mayors, business leaders, hospitals and other stakeholders to get students back to school — a strategy that is yielding impressive early results.

Corporate Sponsors


A special thanks to the corporate sponsors who have already committed to supporting our 2024 Attendance Awareness Campaign. Their investment makes it possible for us to provide you with free strategies and materials.

Attendance in the News

Opinion: From Success Mentors to Washing Machines, Ways to Help Kids Stay in School, July 29, 2024, The74


Classroom ‘churn’ has negative effect on third grade reading scores, new Colorado study finds, July 14, 2024, Chalkbeat

Campaign Convening Partners

See the full list of Attendance Awareness Partners here.

Attendance Works is a non-profit, national and state initiative. Our mission is to promote equal opportunities to learn and advance student success by reducing chronic absence. Find free downloadable resources, research, consulting services and more on our website: www.attendanceworks.org


For more information contact: info@attendanceworks.org

Sign up for our newsletter: https://awareness.attendanceworks.org/contact/aam-updates

Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  X

Copyright © 2024 Attendance Works, All rights reserved