A Note from our President and CEO

During these last months of school, it’s still important to keep students engaged and communicate how regular attendance supports student academic success and well-being.  

Looking for inspiration? We collaborated with REL Midwest to showcase two Chicago public schools that are making gains with improved student attendance and engagement. Educators at Ralph H. Metcalfe Community Academy (PK-8 grades) and Carver Military Academy (9-12 grades) are using school teams, data review to inform decision-making, relationship building and positive conditions for learning. Read our blog post, download the viewing guide and view the documentary.

Strengthening connections with students and their families now can support improved attendance through summer and into the next school year. I spoke with CBS LA about why monitoring attendance trends matters, how schools can respond early when students begin missing too many days, and how family engagement is an important part of helping students stay engaged and on track. Watch the interview.

With best wishes,

Hedy N. Chang

Join us on April 1 for Nurture Belonging in the Spring. Speakers will focus on connection and engagement. We’ll unveil a new resource with strategies to help educators implement a tiered support system while sustaining engagement through the end of the year.

Webinars are on Wednesdays, at 12pm-1:30pm PT / 3pm-4:30 pm ET. Register for all four webinars in this year’s series.

• April 1–Nurture Belonging in the Spring. Focus on connection and re-engagement as the year winds down.
• May 13–Engage & Build Bridges in the Summer. Keep students and families engaged during summer months. 
• August 5–Create Community in the Fall. Start the year strong with welcoming and warm school communities.
• September 23–Ensure Support All Year Long. Build sustainable systems that support attendance every day. 

We are finalizing a new badge image featuring this year’s slogan, “Your Presence Matters!” Stay tuned. 

Spread the word!

🙋‍♀️How does connection impact attendance? Find out April 1 during the next Attendance Awareness Campaign webinar! Learn practical strategies to strengthen a sense of belonging & engagement. #YourPresenceMatters @attendanceworks

🔗 Don’t miss this free event! https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/webinars/ 

To address those attendance dips before and after spring break, plan an engaging event or activity or a spirit week. Robertsdale Elementary created its own March Madness attendance competition, and the attendance team created a “Sweet 16” incentive and end-of-the year attendance celebrations for the last day of school. Read more in the bright spot.

You can also download our handout with spring focused activities that can encourage students to attend, participate and strengthen relationships.

Summer is just around the corner! In this last quarter, share local resources with families and students. Compile a comprehensive list of school and community summer programs and distribute it to families through multiple channels.

Collaborate with school staff and community partners to create the summer enrichment plan. Determine if the school or district will be running programming or will partner with summer program providers.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has launched the AttendNC Counts website, a hub for the state’s attendance efforts and resources. The website includes 2025 Attendance Bright Spots from around the state, which features schools that have reduced chronic absence by 50% or more since their 2022 peak. We are delighted to see that this effort ties into our national 50% Challenge.

NC’s AttendNC Counts has collected and summarized chronic absence-related research. Chronic Absenteeism: A Review of the Research summarizes what research suggests about why absenteeism happens, what can improve attendance, and how schools, districts and state partners can shift from awareness to measurable improvement.

A new data analysis of from Public Policy Institute of California just released a new analysis of chronic absence data collected by the California Department of Education. Chronic Absenteeism in California reviews data from school year 2018-19 through 2024-25 and offers five key findings. 

Our Professional Leadership Attendance Network (PLAN) is designed to support district leaders responsible for improving attendance systems. PLAN is not a program — it’s a leadership approach that helps districts move beyond isolated initiatives and lead with strategy. The next cohort begins January 20, 2027. For more information contact Lorri Hobson (Lorri@attendanceworks.org) and Zach Freeman (Zach@attendanceworks.org)

To fix student absenteeism, schools must support families first, Youth Today, March 4, 2026

Lawmakers pass school absenteeism bill to provide more data on students missing class, KGW News, March 4, 2026

These Districts Turned Summer School Into an Inviting Destination for Students, Education Week, March 2, 2026

Please donate today to ensure that we can continue providing you with resources that help students show up and engage in school.