More Research and Expert Opinion

Research shows there is a strong link between school climate and strong attendance. As you prepare for the year ahead, here are four strategies to leverage to make your school a place that students want to be every day.

Current truancy practices often do not address the barriers to attendance that a student and their family may be experiencing, and instead can exacerbate family engagement challenges and do little to help improve attendance. To better understand how families experience the truancy process, we recently surveyed 60 families from across the country to share their thoughts and concerns. Here’s what we found.

We are honored that the new platform has been recognized with this award, and congratulate all of the winners dedicated to supporting educators and nurturing student success across the nation.

Sending mailed attendance nudges home to families has been shown to reduce chronic absenteeism. However, not all interventions are created equal. In fact, if not done the right way, mailing your own attendance letters home to families may even do more harm than good. If you’re considering sending your own letters home, or are already engaging in this practice, ask yourself these three critical questions before moving forward.

At the Power of Present Summit in November 2022, Shelneka Adams, Child Welfare & Attendance Liaison at the Louisiana Department of Education shared the research-informed work she’s been doing to bring more restorative practices into schools across Louisiana that help improve school culture, chronic absenteeism, and of course, student achievement.