Student attendance is a key component of a school’s performance in New Jersey and a major component of state accountability systems across the country. Addressing attendance benefits students and increases your school’s performance rating. It’s important to ensure compliance with regulations about reporting excused versus unexcused absences.

No matter how passionate the principal is, they can’t be the only person carrying this torch because there are too many places to be and conversations to have, which means that they must delegate the charge to someone equally passionate about it and who has a strong skill set of communication and strategic planning.

Understand Your State and Local Policies

Schools are incredibly busy, and high schools in particular are sophisticated and complex. Principals have a lot of demands on their time, many of which are unpredictable and out of their control.

A key strategy to ensure that career-connected learning takes root on a high school campus is to identify a champion for the program of work who can be the consistent presence and voice for the team.

• Block Schedules
• Advisory Periods
• Identify a Champion

Student attendance is about more than getting the students in the door. Creating a positive, inclusive, uplifting environment for students and staff is the first step in addressing chronic absenteeism. From there, take steps to collect and analyze data effectively, support struggling students, and foster relationships with families.