In the first part of this series on chronic absenteeism, we will focus on practical strategies to explore. The second part will focus on how to move from policies to practice.
Chronic absenteeism is often an early sign that a student may need support, and for most educators, that observation is nothing new. A student who misses 10% or more of the school year, for any reason, is considered chronically absent. The absenteeism rate roughly doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, while most states have improved year over year since the 2021–2022 peak, no state has returned to its pre-pandemic level (DiMarco, 2026).
What the Research Suggests
Across recent research, a few clear themes emerge. Schools making progress tend to:
- make sure every student has a trusted adult or mentor;
- use data to understand the root causes of absenteeism;
- partner closely with families and community organizations; and
- share ownership across school teams (Attendance Works, 2026; Day et al., 2026).
Here is what stands out: most schools are already doing some version of this work. The question is usually not what to start, but what to strengthen.
Start Where You Are
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to chronic absenteeism. The right strategy depends on local needs, priorities, and capacity. Most schools and districts already have measures in place.
This is the idea behind Promoting Positive Student Attendance in Florida Schools, a resource the Gulf Comprehensive Center (Gulf CC) and Florida Department of Education are developing to help districts address chronic absenteeism. It is designed to help school leaders see what is already working, then consider practical additions that fit their community. The reflection questions and starting points below are adapted from this resource.
Reflection Questions
Before choosing a new strategy, ask:
- What is already working?
- Where are the biggest attendance barriers?
- Which existing team can lead this work?
- What is one improvement a team can make this semester?
Three Practical Starting Points
1. Use the existing teams. Most schools already have a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), student support, an early warning system, or data teams that can coordinate attendance efforts. Many schools connect this work through a two-team model: one team leads schoolwide prevention, another leads student specific support, with at least two “bridge members” who serve on both teams, hand off referrals, and track next steps. Clarifying roles and communication is often more valuable than creating a new committee.
2. Diagnose before making decisions. Use attendance data and staff reflection to identify strengths, gaps, and root causes before selecting interventions. Improving an existing practice is often just as valuable as launching a new one.
3. Match strategies to readiness. Implement evidence-based practices at a pace that fits the school’s capacity and build over time.
Strategy for Strengthening Family and Community Partnerships
If the school already works with a few community partners but attendance barriers such as transportation, health, and family responsibilities persist, consider deepening what already exists rather than launching something new.
|
Start Now
|
Build
|
Sustain
|
|---|---|---|
| Identify 2–3 existing partners and designate a lead point of contact who connects them to your attendance data. | Hold regular partner check-ins and host family resource events focused on the barriers your data surfaces. | Develop long-term partnerships that coordinate supports for students and families. |
This progression illustrates how schools can strengthen an existing strategy over time rather than implementing everything at once.
Strategy for Strengthening Everyday Connection
Students who feel known are more likely to show up. Most schools already do dozens of small things that build that connection. The goal is to make them consistent and intentional, not to add a program.
|
Start Now
|
Build
|
Sustain
|
|---|---|---|
| Greet students by name at the door and make the front office and entryway feel welcoming—the everyday signals that tell a student they were missed. | Add short daily connection routines (morning meetings, start-of-class check-ins) and help staff recognize when anxiety or family stress is showing up as absence. | Use student and family climate surveys alongside attendance patterns to find groups who feel disconnected and build lasting relationship routines around them. |
The strategies above apply the same build-over-time approach to daily relationships, the trusted-adult connection that research ties consistently to students showing up.
Moving Forward
Reducing chronic absenteeism is not about finding one perfect strategy. It is also not something that schools can solve in a single day, week, or semester. The schools that make the most sustainable progress build the conditions that keep students connected in the first place. Preventative systems, including trusted relationships and consistent family communication, can do more than interventions launched after a student has already disengaged.
There is no quick fix. Schools make progress by building on what is already working and strengthening it over time. That gives every student a better chance to be present, engaged, and on track.
Author: Delina Zapata-Romero, Gulf Comprehensive Center
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References
Attendance Works. (2026, June). Beyond the roll call: Reducing chronic absence through state action. https://www.attendanceworks.org/beyond-the-roll-call-reducing-chronic-absence-through-state-action-a-sixth-annual-review-of-state-attendance-policy-and-practice/
Day, E., Golfen, J., Le, V., & Gottfried, M. (2026). Promising approaches for reducing chronic absenteeism. University of Oregon and HEDCO Institute. https://hedcoinstitute.uoregon.edu/reports/chronic-absenteeism
DiMarco, B. (2026, July 2). Tracking state trends in chronic absenteeism. FutureEd. https://www.future-ed.org/tracking-state-trends-in-chronic-absenteeism/
Lindgren, R. (2025, October 27). Helping educators address chronic absence through evidence-based interventions. Regional Educational Laboratory West. https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/helping-educators-address-chronic-absence-through-evidence-based-interventions
