Attendance
Education news, analysis, and opinion on the importance of going to school regularly and the effects of truancy or chronic absences on learning
Budget & Finance
Why Chronic Absenteeism Is a Budget Problem, Too
Chronic absenteeism has serious academic consequences. It also comes with a price tag.
Families & the Community
Q&A
How These District Leaders Turned Family Engagement on Its Head
Two Leaders to Learn From share insights on what family and community engagement entails.
School & District Management
Opinion
How We Can Fix Chronic Absenteeism
Experts on school attendance lay out five steps to ramping up family and student engagement.
School & District Management
What the Research Says
What Districts With the Worst Attendance Have in Common
Districts often lack a systemic approach to coping with the spike in chronic attendance problems, a Michigan study suggests.
School Climate & Safety
'A Universal Prevention Measure' That Boosts Attendance and Improves Behavior
When students feel connected to school, attendance, behavior, and academic performance are better.
School Climate & Safety
4 Case Studies: Schools Use Connections to Give Every Student a Reason to Attend
Schools turn to the principles of connectedness to guide their work on attendance and engagement.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
Stop Saying 'These Kids Don't Care About School’
This damaging myth creates a barrier between educators and students and fails to address the root causes of student disengagement.
School & District Management
When Interventions Aim at Relationships, Academics and Attendance Improve
Connecting a student to adults—and peers—has been a missing link in early-warning systems.
Student Achievement
How In-School Tutoring Benefits Both Attendance and Math Scores
The connection between better test scores, tutoring, and attendance is bolstered by two new studies.
Families & the Community
Chronic Absenteeism Is a Crisis. Do Parents Get It?
Survey data suggests many parents of students with high rates of absences are not concerned.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
How Bad Journalism Encourages Bad Education Research
Favorable accounts of lackluster studies corrode the credibility of both researchers and reporters.
School Climate & Safety
Want to Tackle Attendance Apathy? Students Will Show You How
There’s no one-shot solution to chronic absenteeism, but listening to students is a good way to begin.
School & District Management
What the Research Says
Most Schools Have Early-Warning Systems. Some Kids Are Still Getting Lost
A study finds that one such system prevented absenteeism among some students but not others.
Student Achievement
Opinion
Chronic Absenteeism Could Be the Biggest Problem Facing Schools Right Now
If we are serious about overcoming learning loss, chronic absenteeism should be our first priority.