Chronic absenteeism is rising across the country, and K–12 leaders are under increasing pressure to respond. Whether driven by state accountability changes, academic recovery efforts, or community expectations, improving attendance is a district’s top priority.

But there is a challenge. Many districts are trying to address attendance with fragmented data, siloed departments, and manual processes that stretch staff too thin. Despite good intentions, efforts often stall.

It does not have to be that way. With a more strategic, connected approach to data, district leaders can make measurable improvements without overwhelming their teams. This approach is outlined in our new resource, The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies.

Start With the Right Data at the Right Time

One of the most common roadblocks to improving attendance is delayed or disconnected data. When district leaders do not have access to timely attendance information, it becomes difficult to identify trends or intervene early enough to make a difference.

The eBook outlines the core data points districts should monitor regularly, including:

• Daily and period-level attendance trends
• Consecutive absences
• Intervention caseloads by tier
• Disparities by grade level, school site, and subgroup

More importantly, it emphasizes the need for real-time access to data that is centralized and actionable. Platforms like SchoolStatus Attend provide up-to-date visibility into attendance across every campus, helping leaders respond faster and plan more strategically.

For further reading on what data matters most, see EdWeek’s research on absenteeism trends post-pandemic.

Make Attendance a Shared Responsibility

Improving attendance should not fall entirely on the shoulders of school site staff. While teachers and counselors play a key role, district leaders must ensure the system they use enables collaboration across roles and departments.

The guide introduces a tiered attendance intervention model that helps align responsibilities across the district. This structure supports:

• Clear criteria for Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions
• Consistent communication with families and students
• Central tracking of actions and outcomes
• Streamlined coordination between central office and campuses

When district and school teams work from the same data and processes, they reduce duplicated efforts and increase the effectiveness of their outreach.

Access the framework in the full guide: The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies

Prioritize Outreach That Works

Family communication is a cornerstone of any successful attendance strategy. However, when outreach is inconsistent, untargeted, or time-consuming, it fails to make an impact.

The eBook encourages districts to move beyond mass messages and toward targeted, two-way communication. This means:

• Using attendance data to trigger timely messages
• Automating outreach for frequent absence patterns
• Translating messages into a family’s preferred language
• Tracking responses to close the communication loop

Tools like SchoolStatus Connect make this possible by integrating communication directly with student data and intervention logs. Teachers and staff can reach families by text, email, or call, and view real-time engagement metrics.

Need more insight on this? Read our Engagement Trends in School-Family Communications Report to learn how communication frequency and format impact outcomes.

Focus on Systems That Scale

Districts do not need more disconnected tools. They need systems that scale and support long-term improvement without creating more manual work.

The guide includes best practices for building sustainable, scalable systems such as:

• Automating documentation of attendance-related outreach
• Providing district-wide visibility into tiered interventions
• Training campus teams with clear protocols and built-in tools
• Measuring outcomes to inform policy and practice

Districts featured in the guide have successfully reduced chronic absenteeism while saving staff time by adopting integrated platforms that consolidate data and communication in one place.

For a real-world example, read how Troup County Schools tackled absenteeism with systemic, relationship-centered strategies.

Build a Smarter Path Forward

Addressing chronic absenteeism is not about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all programs. It is about building smarter systems that connect the right data to the right people, at the right time.

The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies offers a blueprint for doing exactly that. It is written for district leaders who want to drive meaningful change without adding more to everyone’s plate.

Inside, you will find:

• A framework for district-wide attendance improvement
• Tools to help teams work smarter, not harder
• Guidance on coordinating across roles and departments
• Real examples of success from other K–12 systems

When Dylan Jones, Director of Federal Programs and Data at Sunflower County Consolidated School District, looked at his district’s family engagement efforts, he saw a fragmented approach that wasn’t reaching all families. Fast forward to today, and Sunflower County has achieved a 5x increase in family engagement with 92% of surveyed families reporting improved school communication.

How did they do it? In a recent SchoolStatus webinar, “The New Rules of Family Engagement: Research-Backed Strategies that Actually Work,” Jones shared the district’s transformation journey and the practical strategies that made it possible.

The Challenge: Disconnected Communication in a Diverse District

Like many districts nationwide, Sunflower County faced significant communication challenges:

• Reactive communication: Reaching out primarily when problems arose rather than building ongoing relationships
• Inconsistent approaches: Each school had its own communication methods, creating confusion for families with children in multiple schools
• Language barriers: A significant multilingual population wasn’t consistently receiving accessible information
• Limited measurement: Without data on outreach effectiveness, improvement was difficult

These challenges reflected a broader trend in education. According to SchoolStatus research:

• Only 27% of families report feeling “very well informed” about their child’s academic progress
• Meanwhile, 81% of educators believe targeted engagement strategies could reduce chronic absenteeism

The disconnect was clear: despite educators’ best intentions, families weren’t feeling adequately informed about their children’s education.

Why Solving This Matters: The Impact on Student Success

For Sunflower County, improving family engagement wasn’t just about better communication—it was directly tied to student outcomes:

Jones shared how his district evolved from inconsistent communication practices to a cohesive, data-driven approach. Their journey addressed several common challenges:

• Reactive rather than proactive communication
• Inconsistency across different schools
• Language barriers with multilingual families
• Limited visibility into communication effectiveness

The transformation focused on four key elements:

1. Implementing a two-way communication philosophy that treated families as partners
2. Ensuring multilingual accessibility for all communications
3. Using data to inform decision-making around engagement efforts
4. Establishing consistent standards across all schools

Sunflower County’s Transformation: A Framework for Success

Jones and his team implemented a systematic approach to family engagement that focused on four key elements:

1. Shifting to Two-Way Communication

Rather than sending one-way announcements, Sunflower County embraced a philosophical shift toward treating families as partners in education: “We were reaching out when there were problems, but not consistently building relationships during positive times,” explained Jones. “We needed to change that fundamental approach.”

What they did:

• Moved from centralized communication to an empowered school-based approach
• Created opportunities for families to respond, ask questions, and share insights
• Scheduled regular touchpoints before problems arose
• Implemented a “positive first” policy where teachers initiated contact with good news

2. Breaking Down Communication Barriers

Recognizing their diverse community, Sunflower County prioritized accessibility in all communications.

What they did:

• Ensured all communications could be easily translated for their multilingual families
• Offered multiple communication channels based on family preferences
• Used visual, mobile-friendly formats that busy parents could easily consume
• Standardized communication approaches across schools for families with multiple children

3. Embracing Data-Informed Decision Making

Perhaps most importantly, Sunflower County implemented tracking systems to measure engagement effectiveness.

What they did:

• Documented who they were reaching—and who they weren’t
• Tracked engagement metrics to identify patterns and gaps
• Made regular adjustments based on what the data revealed
• Created accountability for outreach efforts

The Results: Measurable Improvement Across the Board

Sunflower County’s strategic approach yielded impressive results:

• 95% of students contacted at least once per term
• 5x increase in family engagement since initial rollout
• 92% of surveyed families reporting improved school communication
• 88% of families feeling more connected to their child’s academic progress
• 100% of principals and counselors using the system weekly
• Over 85% of teachers regularly initiating contact

Beyond the numbers, Jones noted significant improvements in student outcomes:

How Your District Can Implement These Strategies

Effective family engagement doesn’t happen overnight, but implementing these three research-backed strategies can create meaningful change in your district:

1. Shift to two-way, proactive communication
2. Use inclusive approaches to reach all families
3. Let data guide your strategy and continuous improvement

As districts nationwide have discovered, when family engagement improves, so do student outcomes—from attendance and homework completion to academic achievement and graduation rates.

Ready to transform family engagement in your district? Check out our Guide, “5 Steps for Effective Family-School Communications.“

Attendance isn’t just a metric—it’s the foundation for learning, relationships, and long-term student success. But when districts rely on manual processes or outdated systems, they miss key opportunities to act early. That’s why more educators are replacing spreadsheets and disconnected systems with purpose-built, attendance tracking software for schools.

Whether you’re still using an attendance tracker in Excel or exploring a smarter attendance dashboard for teachers, here’s what sets effective solutions apart (and how the right platform can drive districtwide impact).

1. Real-Time Data That Drives Decisions

The best student attendance software doesn’t just track, it enables timely action. With real-time data, educators can quickly identify trends, uncover barriers, and support students before issues escalate. Real-time visibility is especially important in identifying chronic absenteeism early and coordinating quick interventions across departments.

See national chronic absenteeism data from the U.S. Department of Education.

With platforms like SchoolStatus Attend, educators can easily view daily absence patterns, compare historical attendance trends, and receive automated flagging for students who may need extra support. This makes every data point a trigger for positive action.

2. Built for Educators, Not Engineers

Great school attendance software fits seamlessly into the school day. Platforms should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and require little training—empowering educators to focus on students, not systems. If a system takes weeks to understand, it’s already lost its value.

Educators need tools that are easy to learn, with user-friendly dashboards, smart automation, and clean reporting. Systems like SchoolStatus prioritize accessibility and simplicity, ensuring school staff can confidently use the platform from day one.

3. Works Where Learning Happens

A reliable attendance app for teachers should work across devices, from classroom desktops to mobile hall passes. With more learning happening in flexible spaces (think pullout groups, intervention rooms, or field-based programs) mobile-friendly attendance tracking is a must.

Mobile access also empowers staff to take attendance in real time, no matter the location. That means fewer missed entries, more accurate records, and easier interventions.

4. Connects with Your SIS & Gradebooks

Your attendance system shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Look for solutions that integrate directly with your SIS, learning management system (LMS), and gradebooks. This keeps data consistent and reduces administrative overhead.

SchoolStatus connects to your core systems to ensure that attendance records, interventions, and communications are aligned across platforms. That integration helps your teams work smarter, not harder.

5. Automates the Right Alerts at the Right Time

It’s not enough to notice a problem, schools need to act before patterns become chronic. A great system helps by triggering alerts for concerning trends: students who’ve missed three consecutive days, reached a specific absence threshold, or shifted from “on track” to “at risk.”

By connecting alerts with family engagement tools like SchoolStatus Connect, your teams can follow up quickly through phone, text, or email—in the caregiver’s preferred language.

6. Provides Clear, Actionable Insights

Leadership teams need data that tells a story. Your student attendance software should offer customizable reports and visual dashboards that support school improvement planning, MTSS interventions, compliance reporting, and funding applications.

Whether you’re reporting to the board, preparing for audits, or guiding team decisions, access to the right information—in the right format—makes all the difference.

7. Scales with Your Strategy

Districts are constantly evolving. Whether you’re expanding programming, adjusting to state requirements, or taking a more personalized approach to family engagement, your tools need to grow with you.

Look for platforms that support customization, multi-campus structures, and evolving workflows, without requiring a new rollout every time your needs change.

8. Supports a Culture of Showing Up

More than just tracking attendance, a great platform promotes awareness and accountability. With proactive communication and insight into root causes, schools can shift from reacting to absences to preventing them.

SchoolStatus Attend works in tandem with SchoolStatus Connect to streamline interventions, drive equitable systems, and build trust with families. When educators, families, and administrators all see the same data—and can act on it together—everyone is more invested in helping students show up and succeed.

From Tracking to Transforming

At its core, attendance tracking is about building trust, identifying needs early, and keeping every student engaged. The right solution makes this easier, more efficient, and impactful.

With SchoolStatus, districts across the country are:

• Reducing chronic absenteeism by 10–30%
• Improving family response rates
• Saving time through automation
• Strengthening equity and compliance

Ready to move from tracking attendance to transforming outcomes? Download our Attendance Buyer’s Guide or schedule a demo today.

Related Resources

• The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to a Consolidated School-Home Communications Solution
• How to Spot At-Risk Students Early
• 5 Steps to Improve Student Attendance

Spring Attendance Drops (and Why It Matters)

Spring break may be over, but for many districts, a new attendance challenge is just beginning. The weeks between spring break and summer often bring a noticeable drop in daily attendance—and for students already at risk of chronic absenteeism, those missed days quickly add up.

As districts work to close out the school year strong, improving student attendance is one of the most effective ways to support academic success. With the right data and outreach strategies, district leaders can re-engage students, partner with families, and ensure every day counts leading up to the final bell.

1. Use Attendance Data to Identify At-Risk Students

Reducing chronic absenteeism in the spring starts with knowing who needs support.

With tools like SchoolStatus Attend, district leaders can quickly identify which students are trending toward chronic absenteeism and act before year-end learning gaps set in.

• Monitor students with 10–17% absenteeism—just under the chronic threshold
  
• Look for spikes in absences—following school breaks or on Mondays and Fridays
  
• Segment data by campus, grade, or demographic groups to target interventions
  

2. Empower Educators With Real-Time Attendance Insights

Attendance is a team effort. Be sure everyone in the school community has access to the right information.

Ensure that principals, attendance teams, and classroom teachers have up-to-date visibility into student attendance trends. With clear dashboards and weekly reports, school staff can take timely action when patterns emerge.

• Set up automated alerts for campus- or student-level attendance dips
  
• Provide weekly summaries to help schools stay proactive
  
• Track which interventions are most effective to refine your approach
  

3. Strengthen Family Engagement With Personalized Messaging

Improving spring attendance also means deepening relationships with families.

Using SchoolStatus Connect, districts can send personalized texts, emails, or phone calls that encourage attendance without creating defensiveness. The key is to reinforce that schools and families are on the same team.

• Use student-specific messages to highlight progress and encourage consistency
  
• Avoid punitive language—focus on support, opportunity, and connection
  
• Reinforce shared goals for student success

4. Reset Routines and Reinforce Expectations

After a break, students often need help getting back into the rhythm of school.

Spring is a great time for a “routine reset.” Whether it’s through morning announcements, classroom goal-setting, or a brief SEL lesson, re-establishing expectations can help students stay focused and engaged through the end of the year.

• Celebrate classroom wins tied to showing up
  
• Encourage teachers to set short-term goals leading into summer
  
• Use school-wide messaging to promote attendance as a shared value
  

5. Connect the Dots Between Attendance and End-of-Year Milestones

From field trips and awards to graduation and promotion ceremonies, the spring semester is full of meaningful moments.

Make sure students and families understand that every day of instruction matters and that showing up is the best way to be part of the celebration.

• Promote upcoming events across all communication channels
  
• Share stories of student growth that link back to consistent attendance
  
• Recognize students who’ve improved their attendance since the beginning of the year
  

Closing the Year Strong Starts With Showing Up

The last few weeks of school offer powerful opportunities to reinforce learning, celebrate progress, and build momentum into the summer. By using real-time data, personalized family communication, and consistent expectations, district leaders can improve spring attendance and help every student finish the year strong.

When a crisis strikes, clear and timely communication can make all the difference for your school district. Whether it’s a weather emergency, safety concern, or unexpected disruption, having a well-defined K-12 crisis communication plan is essential to keeping families informed and students safe.

Unfortunately, many districts wait until it’s too late to think about crisis communication.

That’s why we created the Crisis-Ready: A K-12 Communications Playbook—a practical guide to help school leaders prepare for the unexpected and respond with confidence.

Download your free copy now »

Why Your School District Needs a Crisis Communication Plan

When school emergencies happen, parents and staff look to leadership for accurate, timely updates. Without a solid plan in place, communication can break down—leading to confusion, mistrust, and even safety risks.

A strong school emergency communication plan helps you:

• Define roles and responsibilities ahead of time
  
• Deliver clear, consistent messages across communication channels
  
• Reduce misinformation and panic
  
• Maintain trust and transparency during high-stress situations
  

What’s Inside the K-12 Crisis Communication Playbook

This free resource is designed for district leaders, superintendents, and communication professionals. You’ll find:

• A step-by-step guide to creating your crisis communication plan
  
• Templates for emergency messages and parent notifications
  
• Tips for choosing the right communication tools (calls, texts, email, etc.)
  
• Best practices for communicating before, during, and after a crisis
  
• Strategies to strengthen community trust over time
  

Whether you’re starting from scratch or updating an existing plan, this playbook is built to help K-12 teams create a reliable, repeatable process for managing communication in any scenario.

Download the K-12 Crisis Communication Playbook »

Prepare Now. Communicate Better Later.

Emergencies can’t always be predicted—but your response can be prepared.

With the right tools and planning, your district can navigate crises while keeping your school community safe, informed, and supported. Take the first step by downloading our free playbook today.

Managing processes like student registration is anything but easy. It requires reams of paper, complex processes, and tons of back-and-forth between school staff and parents. There’s just so much to consider, like making sure parents fill out the right forms, following up with families who fail to complete required forms, ensuring staff members have all of the necessary forms before the first day of school, and a whole lot more.

To make managing forms and automating workflows a bit easier, we’re excited to add another innovative solution to the SchoolStatus family of products: SchoolStatus Forms & Flows (formerly Operoo), a workflow automation platform designed to streamline and simplify processes for K-12 schools and districts.

In this post, we’ll explain how SchoolStatus Forms & Flows can help your district operate more efficiently and save valuable time. 

Digitize Paper-Based Forms

The heart of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows is digital forms. The platform allows you to make any paper-based form digital including things like field trip forms, student registration, staff forms, and medical cards.

With fully customizable digital forms, you can:

• Allow parents to complete forms on any device. The days of parents crowding into the front office to complete back-to-school forms are officially over! Instead, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows you to send parents a link to a digital form that they can complete on any device and in the language of their choice.
• Find form completions in a few clicks. Rifling through a file cabinet to find the right form amid a crisis can be a nightmare. Luckily, digitizing paperwork means you can access form responses online or on our mobile app.
• Cut down on costs. By reducing the amount of paper flowing through your district, you’re not just saving the trees—you’re saving valuable time and money from your budget. 

Automate Key Workflows

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows doesn’t stop at just helping you digitize paperwork. Instead, we digitize the whole process. Think about everything that happens after a form is submitted. We can help with all of it!

Here’s how a school field trip might look with the power of automation:

• A teacher submits a field trip request form digitally
• The Assistant Principal in charge of student enrichment receives an email with the form submission attached and the option to approve the trip request or deny it with additional information
• The minute the trip is approved, the teacher receives an email with the good news and forms to request coverage for chaperones, submit a field trip meal request to the cafeteria, and a district-level form to request transportation
• The teacher submits the additional forms and sends out a field trip permission form to all of the parents in her classroom
• Families fill out the form in their native language on the device of their choice. They also can submit digital payments, instead of sending cash with their children.
• The teacher can run a report at any time to see which of her students have filled out permission slips. In the background, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows handles following up with parents who have yet to submit the permission form.
• Students enjoy the trip! The teacher is happy that running a field trip didn’t pull her away from her usual duties.

If your team spends hours completing all of the tasks that come after a form is submitted, automating the whole process with SchoolStatus Forms & Flows could give you all back tons of time.

Forms & Flows for Family Communications

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows families to complete forms on any device, in the language of their choice. But that’s just the beginning. The platform helps families submit the right forms, pay school fees and fines digitally, and protect their privacy.

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows helps families:

• Never miss an important form. Automated workflows can make forms available to families based on their responses. For example, if a family indicates that their child has to take medication each day, they would get access to a form that requires them to explain proper medication administration to the School Nurse. These automation steps help ensure the right families access the right forms with zero guesswork.
• Securely process cashless payments. Process library fees, field trip costs, extracurricular dues, lunch bills, and more with secure browser-based payments. 
• Protect privacy. School forms can include lots of sensitive data from students or staff members. Submitting forms digitally means you never have to worry about a file cabinet left open or a form left on a desk for anyone to see.

If you’re ready to start saving time, effort, and stress in your district, give SchoolStatus Forms & Flows a try. Reach out to our team for a demo of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows, and see for yourself what efficient digital workflows can do for your district. 

“I thought we were going to have 115% attendance when we came back after the pandemic. And it was actually the opposite.” 

This candid observation from Jessica Bull, Executive Director of Communication at Roseville City School District, captures what districts nationwide discovered as schools reopened: attendance challenges weren’t going away—they were intensifying.

The data confirms this reality. Chronic absenteeism rates still hover at 26% in the 2022-23 school year, nearly double pre-pandemic levels. This means one in four students is missing enough school to significantly impact their academic future.

Despite universal concern about this issue, our 2024 Educator Report uncovered a troubling disconnect: while 77% of educators consider school-home communication “critical” for improving outcomes, only 25% find it “very easy” to connect with families. 

This gap between intention and implementation helps explain why attendance problems persist.

Key Challenges in Attendance & Family Engagement

Our research with educators reveals a concerning pattern: most schools address attendance only after it becomes a problem. 

In fact, just 37% of schools regularly communicate with families about the importance of attendance, while the majority—58%—reach out only after absences accumulate. This reactive approach misses crucial opportunities for prevention. Further complicating matters, educators often struggle to confirm whether their communications even reach families. Nearly half (43%) report uncertainty about message reception, and almost a third contend with language barriers that make meaningful engagement difficult. 

Meanwhile, YouthTruth data shows only 42% of students feel connected to their school community, creating a perfect storm for attendance problems: when students don’t feel they belong, showing up becomes much less important to them.

District Success Stories:
Data-Driven Solutions that Work

Districts that have successfully reversed attendance trends share three common strategies:

1. Real-Time Data to Drive Early Intervention

Roseville City USD transformed their paper-based processes into a digital system providing immediate visibility into attendance patterns. “We had no way to quickly see who hasn’t been at school,” explained Attendance Supervisor Kim Peterson. “Now we can identify who those students are, who are the outliers, who are the groups that are right on that edge.” 

Results: Chronic absenteeism dropped from 18% to 10% in two years. 

2. Streamlined, Consistent Family Communication

Grand Prairie ISD eliminated their “time-consuming and cumbersome” manual processes by implementing automated but personalized communication systems. 

Results: 32% “save rate” for students at risk of chronic absenteeism and 23% improvement in conference effectiveness. 

3. Multilingual, Accessible Outreach

Prince William County Public Schools addressed communication barriers with diverse families through automated translation features and multiple communication channels.

Results: 97% of teachers feel better equipped to meet student needs, and 75% of students who received one attendance letter showed immediate improvement. 

The ROI of Improved Attendance

A 2023 study found that schools with strong family engagement before the pandemic experienced significantly better outcomes after, including:

• 39% smaller rise in chronic absenteeism
• 37% smaller decline in math proficiency
• 27% smaller decline in ELA proficiency 

While the national chronic absence rate improved by just 8.54% from 2021-22 to 2022-23, districts using integrated data and communication platforms saw improvements of 22.23%. 

Taking Action: Next Steps for District Leaders

Districts looking to improve attendance and family engagement should focus on:

1. Implementing real-time data systems that flag attendance concerns early
2. Automating routine communications while personalizing follow-up
3. Ensuring accessibility for all families through translation and multiple channels

These aren’t just theories—they’re practical approaches that real districts have used to turn around concerning attendance trends. Leaders considering technology to support attendance efforts could look to tools that solve actual day-to-day challenges, and  systems that provide real-time visibility so no one is working with last month’s data. Consider whether the platform integrates communication capabilities

Lastly, pay attention to whether the solution can help identify emerging attendance issues before they become chronic problems, as early awareness is often the key to successful intervention.

Choosing the Right Attendance & Engagement Technology

Selecting the right technology helps districts improve attendance while saving time and resources. Key features to look for include:

• Real-time Attendance Tracking: Provides instant data to prevent delayed interventions
• Integrated Communication Tools: Combines multiple communication methods into one platform
• Predictive Analytics: Identifies at-risk students early for proactive support
• Two-way Communication: Enables direct family engagement without extra apps
• Translation Capabilities: Ensures messages reach all families
• Customizable Dashboards: Offers clear insights into district-wide trends

Next Steps for District Leaders:

The data is clear: improving attendance isn’t just about tracking absences—it’s about strengthening family connections and identifying challenges early. Districts that take a proactive, data-driven approach are seeing measurable improvements, from lower absenteeism rates to better academic outcomes.

Addressing attendance challenges doesn’t require starting from scratch. Proven strategies—real-time data, consistent outreach, and accessible communication—are already working in schools nationwide. The key is taking that first step.

To help your district move forward, we’ve developed several practical resources:

• Attendance Goal-Setting Worksheet – Set clear, data-backed attendance targets
• On-Demand Webinar Series – Hear directly from district leaders who have successfully improved attendance
• ROI Calculator – See the potential impact of better attendance tracking and family engagement on your district’s resources

These tools can help you assess where you are today—and take meaningful action to improve student outcomes as soon as tomorrow.

Chronic absenteeism is on the rise across schools and districts, making it one of the biggest challenges educators face today. When students miss class, they fall behind academically, disengage from learning, and risk not graduating on time. The good news? Schools can turn attendance data into action with a strategic, research-backed approach.

To help districts tackle attendance challenges head-on, we hosted a free on-demand webinar: “5 Steps to Better Attendance.” In this expert-led session, we break down the key strategies that schools can use to improve student attendance, engage families, and drive long-term success.

Why Attendance Matters More Than Ever

The latest data shows that 1 in 3 students is chronically absent, meaning they miss 10% or more of the school year. Absenteeism is linked to:

• Lower academic achievement (especially in early grades)
• Higher dropout rates in middle and high school
• Decreased student engagement and school connectedness
• Equity gaps, as marginalized students often face the biggest attendance barriers

But with the right strategies, schools can reverse these trends and boost student participation. Our webinar explores five critical steps that help districts move from reactive to proactive attendance management.

Watch the full webinar on demand: Access the webinar here

The 5 Steps to Better Attendance

In this webinar, our attendance experts outline five proven steps for improving student attendance. Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:

1. Leverage Attendance Data to Identify At-Risk Students

The first step to improving attendance is understanding who is missing school and why. Schools need to:

• Use real-time attendance data to spot trends
•  Identify students who are at risk of chronic absenteeism
• Analyze patterns across grade levels, demographics, and time periods

With data-driven decision-making, districts can move beyond just tracking attendance to preventing absences before they become a problem.

2. Strengthen Communication with Families

Family engagement is a key driver of attendance. When parents and caregivers understand the importance of daily attendance, they are more likely to prioritize it.

This webinar covers best practices for proactive communication, including:

• Using text messages and calls instead of just emails
• Sending personalized attendance notifications
• Providing family resources and support for attendance challenges

Building strong school-home connections helps create a culture of attendance and keeps families involved.

3. Implement Tiered Attendance Interventions

Not all absences are the same. That’s why effective attendance management requires a tiered approach:

• Tier 1: School-wide attendance incentives & awareness campaigns
• Tier 2: Targeted outreach for students with moderate absenteeism
• Tier 3: Intensive interventions for chronically absent students

By matching interventions to student needs, schools can increase engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism.

4. Engage School Staff to Build a Culture of Attendance

Teachers, counselors, and administrators all play a role in supporting attendance. This webinar covers how schools can:

Train staff on early warning signs of absenteeism
Encourage teachers to build strong student relationships
Develop school-wide attendance initiatives that foster accountability

When attendance becomes a shared priority, schools create a supportive learning environment that students want to be part of.

5. Use Technology to Simplify Attendance Tracking

With the right attendance tools and automation, schools can streamline processes and reduce manual work.

In the webinar, we explore:

• Automated attendance alerts to flag at-risk students
• Dashboards and reporting tools for real-time tracking
• Parent communication tools to send personalized messages

By using technology-driven solutions, schools can gain valuable insights and act quickly to improve attendance rates.

Take Action: Watch the Full Webinar On Demand

Improving student attendance requires a proactive, data-driven strategy. By implementing the five steps outlined in this webinar, schools can increase attendance, reduce absenteeism, and create a culture of engagement.

Watch the full webinar now and start making an impact today!

Identifying which students are at risk of falling behind should not require digging through spreadsheets or complicated reports. Yet for many educators, that is often the case.

By the time attendance data is reviewed, weeks or even months may have passed. Students who needed support early on are now facing greater challenges.

SchoolStatus helps schools and districts act quickly. With attendance insights through SchoolStatus Attend, teams can spot early warning signs and take action before small issues become larger problems. Combined with SchoolStatus Connect, staff can communicate directly with families to help support students and keep them on track.

Why Early Warning Indicators Matter for Student Success

The earlier schools can identify students who are struggling, the better they can intervene and provide support. Attendance is one of the most reliable early warning indicators. A student who begins missing more days than usual may be showing signs of disengagement or facing challenges at home.

According to our 2024-25 Mid-Year Attendance Snapshot, attendance challenges continue to impact schools across the country. Students who are chronically absent are significantly more likely to fall behind academically.

By acting on early attendance trends, schools can provide students with timely support and potentially prevent long-term consequences.

Why Schools Struggle to Identify At-Risk Students

Many educators understand the importance of early intervention, but identifying which students need attention can still be difficult.

Here are some of the reasons:

• Data is often scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult to build a full picture of a student’s needs
• Reports may be outdated by the time they are reviewed
• Staff may lack the time or capacity to manually analyze data patterns

Because of these barriers, students who need help might go unnoticed until more serious issues arise. That’s why having a centralized, real-time view of attendance trends is so critical.

How SchoolStatus Makes Early Intervention Simple and Actionable

One Place for Attendance Trends

SchoolStatus Attend gives district staff and attendance admin a clear view of student attendance patterns. The platform highlights when a student’s attendance is trending downward, helping teams take proactive steps before chronic absenteeism sets in.

Communication That Drives Action

With SchoolStatus Attend, schools can automate official communications, such as sending physical letters or digital notifications, to alert families when specific attendance thresholds are met.

When more personal, two-way outreach is needed, SchoolStatus Connect allows educators to call, text, or email families directly. All communication is logged automatically, making it easy to keep everyone aligned and informed.

Designed for Efficiency

SchoolStatus Attend is built for the staff responsible for monitoring and responding to attendance trends. It ensures the right people have access to the information they need to support students effectively.

A Step-by-Step Approach to Using SchoolStatus for Early Intervention

1. Connect Your Data Systems

Integrate your SIS and attendance data to centralize student attendance information within SchoolStatus Attend.

2. Set Up Early Warning Indicators

Define thresholds that indicate when a student might be at risk, such as missed days or consistent declines in attendance.

3. Train Staff to Use the Platform

Provide training so administrators can interpret attendance trends and respond with appropriate actions.

4. Communicate with Families

Use structured messages in the platform or personalized outreach through SchoolStatus Connect to notify families and build collaboration around solutions.

5. Monitor Progress and Adjust Support

Track whether interventions are improving attendance and continue communication to ensure ongoing support.

Why Early Action Changes Outcomes

Schools that act early based on real-time data are better equipped to help students stay on track. One district using SchoolStatus reduced chronic absenteeism by reaching out to families when attendance began to decline. Timely outreach helped prevent long-term disengagement.

When schools have the right tools in place, they can build stronger relationships with families and ensure that students receive support before problems escalate.

Bringing It All Together

Supporting at-risk students starts with knowing who needs help and when to step in. SchoolStatus Attend helps districts track attendance trends in real-time, while SchoolStatus Connect enables effective family communication. Together, these tools give educators what they need to intervene early and make a difference.

To learn how SchoolStatus can help your district identify and support at-risk students earlier, book a demo.

Related Resources

• 5 Key School Communication Tips for At-Risk Students
• 2024-25 Mid-Year Attendance Snapshot
• The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies

When school districts invest in new technology, they need proof that it delivers real value. For district leaders tackling chronic absenteeism, SchoolStatus offers a data-driven approach that improves attendance and maximizes funding. But how can you measure the financial impact of better attendance?

Enter the Attendance Impact Calculator—a powerful tool that quantifies how increased attendance translates into student success and district revenue.

The Financial Impact of Attendance on Your District

Chronic absenteeism is one of the biggest challenges facing K-12 education today. Students who miss school regularly are less likely to succeed academically, and in many states, school funding is directly tied to Average Daily Attendance (ADA) or similar models. Every absent student represents a potential loss in funding, making attendance management a critical financial priority.

For more insights on how chronic absenteeism affects learning outcomes, check out our blog on understanding and addressing chronic absenteeism. 

How the Attendance Impact Calculator Works

The Attendance Impact Calculator from SchoolStatus gives district leaders a clear, data-backed projection of how improved attendance can increase funding. By inputting key variables—such as student population, current attendance rates, and funding models—the tool generates actionable insights, helping districts:

• Identify trends in attendance and funding gaps
• Quantify potential revenue gains from attendance improvements
• Develop data-driven strategies to engage students and families

Want to understand how ADA-based funding works? Learn more from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) about school finance policies in your state.

Why Districts Choose SchoolStatus for Attendance Management

The best way to boost attendance isn’t just tracking absences, it’s proactive intervention. SchoolStatus equips districts with real-time student data, automated attendance alerts, and communication tools that empower educators to connect with families before attendance issues escalate.

Key benefits include:

• Early Intervention Strategies – Identify at-risk students and take action before absences become chronic
• Seamless Parent Communication – Personalized, real-time messaging helps address attendance barriers
• Maximized Funding Potential – Optimize ADA-based funding by keeping students in school
• Data-Driven Decision-Making – Leverage powerful analytics to refine attendance policies

Read how data-driven strategies are transforming districts in our latest post on The Power of Data to Drive Student Outcomes.

Take the First Step Toward Improving Attendance

Attendance isn’t just about showing up—it’s about engagement, access, and opportunity. Addressing chronic absenteeism requires proactive strategies backed by data. Learn more in our in-depth guide: Leading with Data: A K-12 Guide to Attendance Success. 

Use the Attendance Impact Calculator today to see how boosting attendance can enhance student outcomes and maximize district funding.

Try the Attendance Impact Calculator Now and start making data-driven decisions that drive real results for your district.

At SchoolStatus, we believe in evolving alongside educators’ needs. Thanks to valuable feedback from education leaders like you, we’re excited to introduce significant improvements to the SchoolStatus Boost Insights Report—reimagined to streamline how you track and support educator growth.

What’s New?

The enhanced Insights Report brings you:

• A streamlined dashboard that puts essential information front and center, featuring clear visualizations of goal progress, practice implementation, and next steps
• An intuitive interface that makes it easier to track educator development across different practice levels—from emerging to innovating
• Comprehensive progress tracking that shows you exactly where each educator stands in their professional growth journey

Why These Updates Matter for Education Leaders

If you’re looking to:

• Save time reviewing educator progress and development
• Get clear, actionable data on professional growth initiatives
• Ensure consistent support across your educator teams
• Make informed decisions about professional development resources

The new Insights Report is designed to address these exact needs, putting powerful tracking and support tools at your fingertips.

Getting Started with the New Experience

Current SchoolStatus Boost users will see these updates automatically in their accounts starting March 7, 2025. Here’s what you can expect:

1. The new interface will be available when you log in to your SchoolStatus Boost account
2. All your existing data and progress tracking will seamlessly transfer to the new view
3. Your Customer Success Manager is ready to help you make the most of these new features

Need Support?

Have questions about the new Insights Report? We’re here to help:

• Contact your dedicated Customer Success Manager
• Email our support team here
• Visit our help center here

We’re committed to supporting your educator development initiatives, and this update is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more enhancements designed to make your work easier and more impactful.

Family engagement is one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes.  But it’s also one of the hardest areas for schools to consistently maintain.

It’s difficult to build strong connections with families while also managing everything else. Whether it’s reaching busy caregivers, overcoming language barriers, or simply finding the time to communicate with every family, there are real challenges that stand in the way of meaningful parent-teacher communication.

Today, digital family engagement solutions are helping schools bridge that gap. Beyond convenience, these tools offer long-term value that improves how schools operate and how students are supported.

Here’s why investing in family engagement platforms is more than just checking a box—it’s a way to create lasting impact across the entire school community.

Why Family Engagement Matters

Family engagement isn’t just a “nice-to-have”. It’s linked to measurable improvements in attendance, academic performance, and behavior. According to research from Learning Heroes, 87% of families want honest and proactive communication from schools, even when their child is struggling. Yet, many educators feel like they don’t have the time or tools to make that happen.

The challenge isn’t just about reaching out. It’s about making that communication consistent, inclusive, and sustainable—all year long, (not just during back-to-school night or conferences).

1. Why Consistency in Family Communication Builds Trust

If families only hear from schools when something is wrong, it’s hard to establish trust. Consistent communication, even when things are going well, makes a huge difference in how families perceive the school and how engaged they are in their child’s learning.

The problem is that teachers are stretched thin. Without the right tools, regular communication is often the first thing to get dropped when things get busy.

How Digital Family Engagement Platforms Help:

• Centralized communication that makes it easy to send updates to entire classes or groups
• Automated tracking of messages to show who has been contacted and when
• Pre-written templates for common messages to save time

Long-term value: Families stay informed and involved, which improves student outcomes and reduces misunderstandings.

2. Why Schools Must Reach Every Family (Not Just the Easiest to Reach)

We all know the families who show up to every event and respond quickly. But what about the families who don’t—often because of work schedules, language barriers, or lack of internet access?

Ignoring those gaps in communication leaves our most vulnerable students without the support they need.

Digital Tools Can Remove Barriers by:

• Offering automatic translation into a family’s preferred language
• Using SMS text messaging and phone calls, not just emails or apps
• Creating two-way conversations where families can reply when it works for them

Tip: Attendance intervention letters with translated content are also a powerful way to reach families of students struggling to attend school regularly.

Long-term value: Every family feels seen and included, which creates a stronger school community and improves student outcomes.

3. Why Educators Need Tools That Save Time (Not Add Work)

Educators want to engage families. But when you’re managing a classroom, preparing lessons, supporting students, and handling administrative tasks, communication becomes one more thing to juggle.

If we expect teachers to engage families consistently, we have to give them tools that make it easy.

Tools That Make a Difference:

• Class-wide messages for quick updates
• Individual communication tracking for students who need more support
• Pre-loaded family contact information that syncs with the student information system (SIS)

Long-term value: Educators save time and energy, and family communication becomes part of the workflow, not an extra burden.

4. Why Schools Need to Document Family Engagement (and How to Do It Easily)

Family engagement isn’t just good practice. It’s often tied to compliance, funding, and accountability requirements.

But tracking every phone call, text, or email manually is unsustainable and puts pressure on educators who are already overworked.

Digital Platforms Provide:

• Automatic logging of every message, call, or note
• Searchable communication histories for every student
• Reporting tools to show district-wide engagement efforts

5. Why Real Family Engagement Improves Student Success

Family engagement is about more than just information. It’s about partnership. When families are engaged, students are:

• More likely to attend school regularly
• More engaged in learning and participation
• More likely to ask for help when needed

When we keep families in the loop consistently, they become partners in supporting students, not outsiders looking in.

What Digital Family Engagement Makes Possible:

• Celebrating student successes with families
• Sharing learning updates and resources to help families support learning at home
• Early intervention when concerns arise

Long-term value: Students thrive because they know their teachers and families are on the same team.

Putting It All Together: Building a Stronger School Community

Family engagement is an ongoing partnership that requires consistency, accessibility, and trust.

Digital family engagement platforms offer a way to build that partnership without burning out teachers or administrators. They make communication easier, faster, and more inclusive, so educators can focus on what matters most—supporting students.

If we want students to succeed long term, we need to think about family engagement the same way—as a long-term investment that pays off in better relationships, stronger communities, and more successful students.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re exploring ways to improve family engagement at your school or district, visit SchoolStatus Connect to see how one tool can bring communication, documentation, and outreach together in one place.

Related Resources:

• How SchoolStatus Connect Helps Schools Reach All Families
• Best Practices for Family Communication in K-12 Schools
• The Future of K-12 Communication: Tools and Techniques to Watch in 2025

Educators and administrators alike recognize the challenge of transitioning back to the classroom environment following extended breaks. The return from Spring Break presents a special opportunity to reset expectations, rebuild classroom dynamics, and recommit to educational excellence through supporting our students. By implementing some of these best practices, schools can transform this transition period into a catalyst for improved student outcomes and academic achievement.

Acknowledge the Transition Period to Support Student Well-being

Recognizing the psychological impact of schedule disruptions is essential for fostering student success. The abrupt shift from non-school routines back to structured learning environments affects everyone in the educational ecosystem. Educational leaders who proactively address this transition create psychologically safe spaces that support student well-being and academic readiness.

Consider implementing these discussion prompts to facilitate constructive dialogue:

• How might we use our break experiences to enhance our learning community?
• What strategies can we implement to regain academic momentum efficiently?
• Which aspects of our classroom culture should we prioritize as we resume our educational journey?

Or, offer a multiple choice writing prompt to engage students with selections like:

This intentional approach acknowledges that transitions impact learning outcomes while promoting self-awareness, social-emotional development, and community building—all critical components of comprehensive student success frameworks.

Re-establish Community Connections to Enhance Learning Environments

The post-break period offers an invaluable opportunity to strengthen the learning community foundation that supports academic achievement.

Effective community-building strategies include:

• Collaborative review and refinement of classroom expectations and norms
• Structured activities that reconnect peers and rebuild interpersonal networks
• Facilitated discussions that align individual values with community standards

Consider implementing a values clarification exercise where students position themselves along a continuum regarding statements such as:

• “Educational innovation drives positive societal change”
• “Collaborative problem-solving produces better outcomes compared to individual effort”
• “Developing adaptability is more valuable than mastering static content”

These structured interactions reinforce belonging while creating the psychological safety necessary for risk-taking and intellectual growth.

Implement Progressive Learning Structures

While curricular pressures may tempt educators to accelerate immediately to full academic intensity, research on cognitive load theory suggests that a strategic, incremental approach yields better outcomes. Educational leaders who design progressive reentry plans demonstrate their commitment to both their students and instructional practices.

Consider implementing a graduated return by:

• Designing scaffolded assignments that build in complexity over the first week
• Reintroducing core academic routines with clear instruction and practice
• Providing formative assessment opportunities with immediate feedback

This measured approach to reengagement acknowledges that academic behaviors require a renewal after disruption. Districts that prioritize this progressive structure report higher completion rates and improved quality of student work following breaks.

Leverage Early Successes to Build Academic Momentum

Experiencing success increases motivation and engagement. Strategic educators capitalize on this by engineering early victories that rebuild student confidence and academic self-efficacy.

Effective confidence-building strategies include:

• Implementing low-stakes, high-engagement academic competitions
• Revisiting previously mastered content through new applications
• Creating collaborative problem-solving opportunities with achievable outcomes

These structured experiences remind students of their capabilities while reinforcing the collaborative nature of the learning community. The positive momentum generated during this reentry phase creates a foundation for sustained engagement throughout the remainder of the academic term.

Mid-year attendance data underscores the critical importance of early engagement strategies. Research shows that younger students (PK–4) demonstrate the strongest attendance recovery, approaching pre-pandemic levels with an above-average rate of 93.82% and improvement of 0.56% from 2023-24 to 2024-25. However, seventh grade emerges as a significant “tipping point” where attendance rates begin to decline and chronic absenteeism rises substantially—mirroring national trends of middle school disengagement. By successfully reengaging students immediately following breaks, educators can reinforce the positive attendance patterns established in earlier grades and potentially mitigate the attendance challenges that typically emerge in middle and high school. The investment in early academic momentum not only enhances immediate learning outcomes but also helps establish attendance habits that support long-term educational success.

Establish Clear Objectives for Continuous Improvement

When students have successfully re-acclimated to the learning environment, educational leaders can leverage this stability to establish compelling objectives that drive continuous improvement. Explicit goal-setting improves student performance across multiple measures.

Consider implementing these goal-oriented practices:

• Guide students through developing personalized learning objectives
• Establish classroom-level achievement targets with visible progress indicators
• Connect current learning experiences to upcoming or future applications

For example, a mathematics department might introduce complex problem sets that students cannot initially solve but will master by term’s end. Language arts educators might establish clear project or portfolio goals that will demonstrate growth over time. This forward-looking approach transforms daily instruction into purposeful progress toward meaningful achievements.

Conclusion: Transforming Transitions Into Opportunities

The return from Spring Break represents more than a logistical challenge—it offers an opportunity to enhance educational effectiveness. By implementing these approaches, educational leaders transform potentially disruptive transitions into platforms for renewed commitment to student success.

Districts that prioritize thoughtful reentry strategies report stronger student engagement, improved attendance patterns, and enhanced academic outcomes following breaks. By investing in deliberate transition management, schools demonstrate their commitment to optimizing every aspect of the educational experience.

Let’s reframe the post-break period not as an obstacle but as an opportunity to strengthen relationships, clarify objectives, and recommit to the pursuit of educational excellence. This mindset transforms the return to school into a powerful time for continued growth and achievement.

More Resources

See how Smore Newsletters can help re-engage, reset, and re-energize your classroom community >

Learn about impactful messages that resonate across different age groups from ABCs to SATs >

Proven strategies for building strong school-home relationships that support student success >

Is your student attendance slipping as the school year progresses? If so, you’re not alone. In our recent webinar, education leaders from Lakeside Union School District shared how they transformed their attendance rates using three powerful strategies that any district can implement.

A District-Wide Approach with School-Level Flexibility

Dr. Rhonda Taylor, Superintendent at Lakeside Union SD, emphasized the importance of unified district standards while allowing schools the flexibility to adapt to their unique needs. By implementing attendance as part of principal evaluations and fostering an “it takes a village approach” through community partnerships, Lakeside created accountability at every level while respecting each school’s individual challenges.

Data-Driven Early Intervention

The webinar revealed impressive results from Lakeside’s strategic use of attendance data. Their approach allowed them to identify at-risk students before patterns became problematic. Dr. Patricia Fernández, Director of Student Support Services, demonstrated how their data analysis led to a remarkable decrease in chronic absenteeism across all student groups, including a significant reduction for English Language Learners.

Multi-Tiered Family Engagement

Perhaps most compelling was Lakeside’s focus on meaningful family partnerships. Dr. Leslie Hardiman, Principal at Tierra del Sol Middle School, shared how her team implemented an “All Hands on Deck” approach, including:

• Student-led ASB Attendance Teams planning activities for historically high-absence days
• Personal phone calls directly to students
• Weekly email updates to parents about attendance progress

The results speak for themselves: attendance conferences showed a 49.8% improvement rate, with chronic absenteeism declining across all grade levels and demographic groups.

Research-Backed Strategies

SchoolStatus research findings validate Lakeside’s approach, revealing that while 81% of educators want targeted attendance strategies, only 37% regularly communicate about attendance. This communication gap represents a significant opportunity for improvement that Lakeside successfully addressed.

Want to learn more about implementing these proven strategies in your own district? Watch the complete webinar recording for detailed implementation tips, data insights, and practical examples from Lakeside’s success story.

The past three years have marked a turning point for student attendance. Districts using SchoolStatus Attend have seen measurable improvements, with chronic absenteeism dropping significantly. But while progress is clear, the path forward requires continued focus—especially for high schoolers, whose attendance rates have slowed.

One standout trend? Middle school attendance has shown steady, promising gains. What’s working in grades 6-8, and how can those strategies be applied elsewhere? With data from over a million students across 143 districts, we’re diving into the key takeaways that K-12 leadership can use to sustain and accelerate improvements.

Attendance is Trending Up—But Gains Are Slowing

The good news: Attendance rates have improved steadily over the three years included in the study. The biggest jump occurred between 2022-23 and 2023-24, with a 1.16% increase in overall attendance and a 21% drop in chronic absenteeism.

However, the latest data from September 2024-January 2025 shows smaller gains compared to the same time period the previous year.

• For PK-12, attendance improved 0.31% and chronic absenteeism decreased 6.38% between 2023-24 and 2024-25
• Early elementary grades are continuing their return to pre-pandemic attendance levels
• High school attendance dropped this year, though rates are still better than 2022-23, signaling a need for targeted interventions

What’s Working in Middle Schools?

Middle schoolers (grades 6-8) are seeing steady attendance improvements, surpassing expectations. Chronic absenteeism in these grades has dropped by 14-16% since 2022-23, and the trend continues into 2024-25.

What’s driving their success?

• Consistent engagement strategies: Schools are keeping students connected through structured interventions and proactive communication
• Better family outreach: Attendance teams are using data-driven alerts to notify families early and prevent chronic absenteeism
• Proactive support systems: Middle schools are identifying at-risk students sooner and providing targeted resources

With Grade 6 maintaining a 94% attendance rate, middle schools show that consistent engagement strategies drive real, sustained improvement.

High Schools: Building on What Works

Grades 10-12 may be plateauing, with some declines in attendance this year. Since these students were in middle school during the pandemic, it’s possible their disrupted attendance habits have become ingrained.

The transition to high school is critical—and an opportunity to scale successful middle school strategies. Districts that have real-time attendance data, strong family communication frameworks, and intervention models in place can adapt their approaches for older students.

Collaboration is key: High schools should work closely with district middle schools to ensure a seamless transition for both students and families. This includes maintaining structured interventions, proactive outreach, and consistent attendance messaging across grade levels.

Other factors high schools should consider:

• Stronger engagement efforts: Personalized interventions (mentorship programs, attendance coaching, real-time academic tracking) can reinforce attendance as a priority
• Family and community partnerships: Absenteeism is often linked to external challenges. Schools must partner with families, social services, and community organizations to break attendance barriers

Watch Full Webinar- What Really Works for K-12 Attendance & Engagement

Key Takeaways for District Leaders

Use Data to Drive Grade-Specific Strategies

While different grade levels require different approaches, high schools can benefit from stronger collaboration with middle schools to ensure a seamless transition and sustained attendance habits.

Sustain Progress Amid Slowing Gains

Early improvements were significant, but attendance rates are leveling off. Maintaining consistent interventions will be key to preventing backslides.

Reengage High Schoolers Before Absenteeism Becomes Permanent

Chronic absenteeism has already become a systemic challenge for older students. Without targeted interventions, these patterns risk becoming entrenched beyond high school.

Keep Early Gains from Slipping in Elementary Schools

Early grades are making the strongest recovery, moving closer to pre-pandemic attendance levels. To sustain this progress, districts should continue strengthening family engagement and early intervention efforts to prevent absenteeism patterns from forming in the first place.

SchoolStatus Attend empowers districts with the insights and tools needed to turn data into action. Want to explore how your district can continue reducing chronic absenteeism? Let’s talk.

SchoolStatus’ mid-year attendance snapshot analyzes data and trends from more than one million students over three years. While younger students approach pre-pandemic attendance levels, high schoolers remain at risk of chronic absenteeism.

Ridgeland, MS—March 5, 2025—SchoolStatus, the leading provider of K-12 attendance and family engagement solutions, today released a 2024-25 Mid-Year K-12 Student Attendance Snapshot, examining student attendance trends from September 2024 through January 2025. The findings analyze data from over one million students in 143 districts across seven states that have used proactive attendance management strategies for three consecutive years (2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-2025 to date).

For the first half of the 2024-25 school year, overall attendance rates have improved in grades PK-12, continuing the progress seen over the past two years. However, the rate of improvement has slowed considerably, signaling a need for continued and expanded intervention strategies—particularly for older students, who remain the most affected by pandemic-related disruptions.

Key Insights into Student Attendance in 2024-25:

• The overall daily attendance rate for grades PK-12 this year is 93.45%—close to pre-pandemic norms

• While overall attendance rates have improved by 0.31% this year, the growth rate has lost momentum compared to the 1.16% increase from 2022-23 to 2023-24

• Grades 10–12 show a regression in the first half of the school year with attendance rates between .04% and .16% lower than last year—and an increase in chronic absenteeism of 1.90% compared to last year

• Younger students (PK–4) are nearing pre-pandemic attendance levels, with a 93.82% attendance rate and an improvement rate of .56%—showing the strongest recovery

• Seventh grade emerges as a ‘tipping point,’ where attendance rates begin to drop and chronic absenteeism starts rising, echoing national trends of growing middle school disengagement

Over the past three years, attendance in U.S. schools has significantly declined with only gradual improvements nationwide. Before COVID-19, national attendance rates for PK-12 averaged 94%, but most recently dropped to 90%, according to NCES. In contrast, SchoolStatus reports a mid-year 2024-25 daily attendance rate of 93.45%, demonstrating that districts using proactive attendance interventions and strategies are seeing more sustained improvements compared to the national average despite signs of potential regression for older students.

This snapshot follows new research from NCES’ NAEP Report and the Education Recovery Scorecard that underscores the continued delay in academic recovery and highlights chronic absenteeism as a key driver of stalled progress. 

“The national conversation on chronic absenteeism has largely focused on the long-term consequences of learning loss, but what’s equally important is work to get students back into classrooms and engaged,” said Dr. Joy Smithson, Data Scientist at SchoolStatus. “Districts using proactive strategies—like family engagement and proactive, positive outreach—are seeing the biggest attendance gains. Our mid-year data confirms that while younger students are on track, older students need renewed focus and support. This data trend underscores the need for sustained and tailored strategies to support consistent student attendance across all grade levels.”

Recommendations for the Remainder of the 2024-25 School Year

Districts that shift their focus to positive engagement strategies, compared to traditional punitive measures, are more likely to see significant gains in student attendance. As a trusted leader in attendance management, SchoolStatus provides the following four key recommendations for districts to implement throughout the remaining school year and beyond:

• Prevention initiatives and family engagement to strengthen school-home relationships
• Early warning systems to identify at-risk students before they reach chronic absenteeism levels
• Targeted outreach and intervention strategies to proactively address attendance concerns
• Direct service coordination to support students facing barriers to consistent attendance

Read the full Mid-Year K-12 Attendance Snapshot here.

Media Contact:
Sydney Schultice
sstressman@0to5.com
609-238-6663