Attendance

Education news, analysis, and opinion on the importance of going to school regularly and the effects of truancy or chronic absences on learning
Illustration of an attendance sheet.
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School & District Management The Surprising Factor That Makes Absenteeism Interventions More Successful
Schools are communicating more with parents about their kids' attendance. When they do it matters.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, November 12, 2025
3 min read
Tight cropped photo of the back of a woman holding the hand of her elementary aged son while they drag their light blue rolling suitcases behind them in an airport.
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Families & the Community Should Kids Miss School for Vacation? Parents Say Yes, Teachers Aren't So Sure
Parents seem increasingly comfortable pulling their children out of school for vacations, educators say.
Evie Blad, November 10, 2025
1 min read
Illustration of people sticking post-it paper of business plan short notes on big calendar.
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Families & the Community A Guide to Building a School Calendar That Maximizes Attendance
Districts strategically schedule long weekends, work days, and spirit weeks to help boost attendance.
Evie Blad, October 27, 2025
5 min read
School & District Management Webinar Boosting Attendance: What Are Schools Doing to Cut Chronic Absenteeism?
Chronic absenteeism still plagues schools. Learn the real impacts and proven strategies districts use to boost attendance.
October 9, 2025
Kanette Yatsattie, 8, left, and classmate Jeremy Candelaria, 10, hang out by a board depicting the race to for best attendance at the school, Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M.
Kanette Yatsattie, 8, left, and classmate Jeremy Candelaria, 10, hang out by a board depicting the race to for best attendance at the school on Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M. New Mexico passed a law in 2019 that shifts schools from punishing truancy to preventing chronic absenteeism, only referring truancy cases to the courts in extreme cases. California is the latest state to change its truancy law, undoing potential criminal penalties like fines or jail time for parents.
Roberto E. Rosales/AP
Families & the Community Should Parents Face Criminal Penalties for Their Children's Poor Attendance?
Schools shift from a punitive approach with penalties for truancy to a greater emphasis on prevention.
Evie Blad, October 7, 2025
7 min read
Ashley Perkins, a second-grade teacher at the Dummerston, Vt., School, writes a "welcome back" message for her students in her classroom for the upcoming school year on Aug. 22, 2025.
Ashley Perkins, a 2nd-grade teacher in Dummerston, Vt., writes a "welcome back" message for her students in her classroom on Aug. 22, 2025. Chronic absenteeism has trended down some in recent years, but remains at elevated levels, creating a challenge for schools as the 2025-26 school year starts.
Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP
School & District Management What the Research Says Schools Should Do About Chronic Absenteeism
Recent research and surveys shed some new light on America's chronic absenteeism problem.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 28, 2025
6 min read
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Jefferson County Leads the Way in Student Attendance
Hear how PowerSchool Attendance Intervention gave Jefferson County insight into attendance patterns, improved documentation, and more.
Content provided by PowerSchool
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School & District Management 3 Ways to Get Students to Care About Chronic Absenteeism
A quarter of students said missing three weeks of school wasn't a problem in a new survey.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 20, 2025
4 min read
Photo of children’s shadows on pavement.
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School & District Management Is Missing 3 Weeks of School a Problem? A Quarter of Students Say No
District leaders say cutting absences is among their most pressing challenges. Many students don't think it's such a big deal.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 20, 2025
4 min read
 Back view of a male teacher in classroom lecturing to elementary school students.
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Teaching Professional Learning Guide Your Guide to Classroom Management & Student Engagement
This professional learning guide offers tips on leading your classroom and engaging students.
August 13, 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.
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Rethinking Attendance: Leadership Strategies with AI and Student Data
Move beyond myths & use data/AI to boost student engagement.
Content provided by Panorama Education
Student Well-Being & Movement Spotlight Spotlight on Chronic Absenteeism
This Spotlight will help you learn about innovative and cost-effective strategies for tackling chronic absenteeism.
August 5, 2025
Damon Lewis, the principal of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, and Tony Cattani, the principal of Lenape High School, receive their awards at the annual National Association of Secondary School Principals Illuminate Principal of the Year Celebration in Seattle.
From left, Damon Lewis, the principal of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, and Tony Cattani, the principal of Lenape High School, receive their awards at the National Association of Secondary School Principals conference in Seattle. They were both named the 2025-26 National Principal of the Year.
Courtesy of Allyssa Hynes/National Association of Secondary School Principals
School & District Management Q&A ‘A Nice and Gentle Disrupter’: Meet the New Principals of the Year
The award went to middle school principal Damon Lewis and high school principal Tony Cattani.
11 min read
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Education Week + Getty
School & District Management This Intervention Cut Course Failures by a Third. How It Works
Participating schools saw decreases in absenteeism and course failures
4 min read