Attendance

Education news, analysis, and opinion on the importance of going to school regularly and the effects of truancy or chronic absences on learning
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints
Photograph of the front of a schoo lbus driving on a country road with trees, fencing, and a yellow sign reading School Bus Stop Ahead.
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Families & the Community The Low-Cost, Low-Lift Way These Districts Used to Reduce Student Absences
Dozens of districts tested this strategy as one component of their absenteeism-fighting strategy.
Caitlynn Peetz, June 6, 2025
6 min read
Image of a school bus driving on the road in the rain.
Willowpix/iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being What School Leaders Learned When They Talked to Families About Absenteeism
A district enlisted its community to find out why students were missing school and responded accordingly.
Caitlynn Peetz, June 4, 2025
5 min read
Families & the Community Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Building Strong School & Home Connections?
Answer 7 questions about building strong family and school connections.
May 27, 2025
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sturi / E+
Families & the Community Q&A This Educator Shows Why Family Trust Is Key to School Attendance
Overhauling family engagement helped Richmond, Va. public schools helped boost attendance. Here's how.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 28, 2025
5 min read
Empty desks within a classroom
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School & District Management 1 in 4 Students Are Chronically Absent. 3 Tools to Change That
Chronic absenteeism is a daunting problem. But district leaders aren't alone in facing it, and there are ways they can fight it.
Caitlynn Peetz, April 18, 2025
5 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Breaking the Cycle: Future-Proofing Schools Against Chronic Absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism is a signal, not just data. Join us for a webinar on reimagining attendance with research & AI!
Content provided by Panorama Education
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.
April 9, 2025
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Whitepaper
K-12 Attendance Intervention Toolkit
In this toolkit, you’ll gain insights into the overall challenge of chronic absenteeism and what you can do to intervene and get students...
Content provided by PowerSchool
New canvas school bags hanging on the backs of empty classroom student chairs in a large modern classroom
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States Lawmakers Want to Fix Student Absenteeism With Ice Cream Parties, Data, and More
State lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills aiming to make school attendance a priority.
Evie Blad, April 1, 2025
3 min read
Photograph of the back of a father and son (wearing a bookbag) holding hands while walking down a brick-paved sidewalk.
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Budget & Finance What Trump's Mass Deportations Could Mean for School Budgets
Federal threats against immigrants could depress local and state funding for schools and cause a spike in chronic absenteeism.
Mark Lieberman, March 24, 2025
13 min read
Illustration of Covid-19 impacting 3 years of school
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and Getty Images
School & District Management Infographic 9 Charts That Show the Lasting Effects of COVID on Schools
Key data on some of the move consequential changes, five years later.
Maya Riser-Kositsky, March 18, 2025
3 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Student Well-Being Opinion An NFL Franchise Is Tackling Chronic Student Absenteeism. Here's How
Athletes understand why showing up every day to work matters. Can they persuade students?
Rick Hess, March 18, 2025
8 min read
Clayton Hubert is an art teacher who wears many hats as an educator, including driving the school bus each morning, as seen here on Jan. 16, 2025, in Lamberton, Minn.
Clayton Hubert, an art teacher, wears many hats as an educator, including driving the school bus some mornings, as seen here on Jan. 16, 2025, in Lamberton, Minn. Many teachers say the expectations of the role have grown far beyond classroom instruction.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Teaching in 2025: ‘Every Day Is a Crazy Day. It’s Fine.’
The profession is changing, and it's more challenging than ever. Resilient teachers are adapting. But at what cost?
26 min read