Partnering to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

In a pilot program initiated by an act of the Tennessee legislature, school leaders partnered with Cognia to turn around two schools in Memphis, Trezevant High School and Hawkins Mill Elementary School, that had been designated for improvement by the state for over a decade. Not only did these efforts result in academic improvement, but they also led to a dramatic decrease in chronic absenteeism. As states respond to a call from national education advocates to cut chronic absenteeism rates by 50% in five years, we should examine success stories, like the one in Memphis, where engagement of the greater community, external partnerships, and collaboration of stakeholder groups serves as a foundation in tackling this challenge.

How did we get here? The Post-COVID Surge in Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism, defined as a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason, whether excused or unexcused, is a persistent problem in schools across the United States. Historically, absenteeism has been tied to poorer academic outcomes, decreased graduation rates, and long-term economic disadvantages.

Historically, absenteeism has been tied to poorer academic outcomes, decreased graduation rates, and long-term economic disadvantages.

Before the pandemic, chronic absenteeism was already a pressing issue, with more than 8 million students—about 1 in 6—chronically absent during the 2015-16 school year. However, after COVID-19 disrupted the education system, absenteeism soared to unprecedented levels, with many states reporting a doubling or tripling of chronic absenteeism rates in the 2020-21 school year. During this time of remote learning, many students struggled with limited access to technology, lacked supervision, or faced personal and family health challenges. These factors exacerbated existing disparities and made it more difficult for students, especially those from low-income families or marginalized communities, to engage consistently with their education.

As schools resumed in-person instruction in 2021-22, the hope was that absenteeism would decrease as the barriers created by remote learning diminished. However, chronic absenteeism has remained alarmingly high in many districts. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2022, nearly 16 million students across the U.S. were chronically absent—double the number of students reported just six years earlier. Many believed that as a result of lengthy periods of remote learning, often times in asynchronous learning models, there was a cultural shift where students and families saw in-person attendance in school as less important or even optional. To address this challenge, we must engage with students and families to learn more about their obstacles, concerns, and desires for their education experience.

A Crisis in Need of Action

A recent study by RAND and the Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) found that while rates have slightly decreased since their peak two years ago, 30% of districts nationwide still report chronic absenteeism rates of at least 20%, and 10% of districts report it to be higher than 30%. Chronic absenteeism not only negatively impacts learning for absent students, but also impacts efforts to close learning gaps, increase student achievement and growth for students who face growing classroom disruptions due to higher absence rates. Of the districts surveyed, nearly all noted efforts underway to curb their soaring chronic absenteeism rates. However, nearly a quarter of them report that none of their efforts have been effective thus far.

Absenteeism is not just a challenge for schools; it’s a community-wide issue that impacts everyone. In Memphis, this understanding has shaped the way the turn-around team approached absenteeism. Since 2020-21, chronic absenteeism has decreased by over 75% at Hawkins Mill Elementary School, and we’ve seen significantly reduced rates at Trezevant High School as other high schools in the state continued to rise. These efforts to combat chronic absenteeism didn’t come from just within the school; it came from a powerful combination of partnerships with key stakeholders who shared the same goal of getting kids back in the classroom.

Why Are Traditional Strategies Failing?

Historically, efforts to combat chronic absenteeism have included a variety of strategies, from stricter attendance policies to parental engagement initiatives and personalized interventions. While many strategies are implemented by schools, the most prevalent approach is creating an early warning system to flag those students most at risk of chronic absenteeism, but how schools use this data has not been consistent.

Research has shown that traditional strategies implemented alone are not working for schools. These strategies include stricter attendance policies that penalize absences, parental engagement that falls short when not coupled with additional support efforts, and other interventions such as mentorship or counseling programs that often lack scalability to reach all students in need.

Despite the wide array of efforts, recent data suggests that many of these approaches are not producing significant or lasting reductions in absenteeism. The reasons are multi-faceted: schools are under-resourced, many students face significant non-school-related challenges, and punitive measures often alienate students instead of supporting them.

Memphis: Engaging Community Partners to Combat Absenteeism

The issues that lead to chronic absenteeism are often complex and extend far beyond the school’s walls. Mental health challenges, housing instability, transportation issues, and family hardships are just a few of the barriers many chronically absent students face. To address these, engaging community partners who can bring their expertise and resources to the table is critical.

Cognia helped determine operational and policy barriers to student attendance, such as start and end times across schools within the same feeder pattern, before-school and after-school care options, and transportation coordination.

An essential component of the turnaround partnership between Memphis and Cognia included stakeholder engagement to identify some of the root causes of underperformance. Cognia helped determine operational and policy barriers to student attendance, such as start and end times across schools within the same feeder pattern, before-school and after-school care options, and transportation coordination. The Memphis schools also worked to engage families by emphasizing their role in their children’s educational success and focusing on positive framing, highlighting the importance of consistent attendance and celebrating milestones when students improve.

Cognia’s approach to helping the Memphis team reduce chronic absenteeism involved identifying key stakeholders who could provide valuable resources and services. Some of the most impactful partnerships include:

• Community Organizations: Local nonprofits like the Boys and Girls Club, health clinics, and organizations like the local electric and water company became a part of the solution in Memphis. These partners helped address various student needs, from mental health support to job readiness programs for families. These organizations played a critical role in improving attendance by addressing underlying root causes of absenteeism, such as poverty, housing insecurity, and transportation difficulties—by connecting families with social services, mental health support, and food assistance.
• Local Government Agencies: City and county agencies were crucial in addressing systemic challenges like transportation, housing, and healthcare. Students were offered city bus passes and free rideshare coupons to assist with travel to and from school. Local government partners helped create a safety net for students who were missing school due to these barriers
• Local Businesses and Corporations: Local businesses supported the effort by offering incentives for improved attendance and student mentorship opportunities. In some cases, businesses sponsored attendance programs or provided rewards for students and parents. These incentives help create a positive reinforcement loop by encouraging attendance by rewarding positive behavior instead of focusing on punishment for absences. The business community’s involvement has also helped generate broader buy-in for absenteeism reduction efforts as companies recognize the long-term benefits of supporting education.
• Faith-Based Organizations: Churches and other faith-based groups provided mentorship, social services, and support for families facing hardships. Initiating monthly food drives and stipends for students who received perfect attendance helped build trust and offered a familiar place for families to seek help.
• Higher Education Institutions: Partnering with local universities and community colleges created opportunities to connect students with mentors and tutors who could help them stay engaged with their education. These institutions also provided pathways to college and career readiness, motivating students to stay in school.

The school utilized recognitions and rewards from their community partners in a monthly Keep It 100 campaign, which addressed attendance for students and staff. It culminated in a monthly recognition assembly which helped boost the importance of being present for learning and build a positive school culture.

Success Requires an All-Hands-on-Deck Approach

What made the difference in the Memphis school pilot was an all-hands-on-deck approach. No single organization or person could have solved the issue of chronic absenteeism on their own. By engaging a wide array of community partners and leveraging their collective expertise, the team was able to address many of the barriers that were keeping students out of school.

The reductions in absenteeism that Hawkins Mill Elementary and Trezevant High School achieved aren’t just a win for the students who were missing out on learning—they’re a victory for the entire community.

The reductions in absenteeism that Hawkins Mill Elementary and Trezevant High School achieved aren’t just a win for the students who were missing out on learning—they’re a victory for the entire community. This shows that when schools, communities, and families work together, they can make a real difference. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to chronic absenteeism, the Memphis results demonstrate that with the right strategies, even the most persistent challenges can be overcome.

Read more about the Memphis story in the full case study, Memphis-Shelby County Schools: Empowering Education in Tennessee.

References:

Attendance Works. (2024). The 50% Challenge: Crafting a State Road Map.

Cognia. (2024). Memphis-Shelby County Schools: Empowering Education in Tennessee.

Council of Economic Advisers. (2023). Chronic Absenteeism and Disrupted Learning Require an All-Hands-on-Deck Approach. The White House.

Dilberti, M. K., Rainey, L. R., Chu, L., & Schwartz, H. L. (2024). Districts Try with Limited Success to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism. RAND.

Geduld, A. (2024). Unlikely Ed Allies Join Forces to Cut Chronic Absenteeism in Half. The 74 million.

Jacob, B. A., & Lovett, K. (2022). Chronic Absenteeism: An Old Problem in Search of New Answers. Brookings.

Jordan, P. W. (2024). Attendance Playbook: Smart Solutions for Reducing Student Absenteeism Post-Pandemic. FutureEd.

National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. (2024). NCEE blog. Institute of Education Sciences.

Sparks, S. D. (2022). Teacher and student absenteeism is getting worse. Education Week.

Swaak, T. (2018). With nearly 8 million students chronically absent from school each year, 36 states set out to tackle the problem in new federal education plans. will it make a difference?. The 74 million.

Swiderski, T., Crtitendon Fuller, S., & Bastian, K. C. (2024). Student-level attendance patterns show depth, breadth, and persistence of post-pandemic absenteeism. Brookings.

Tennessee General Assembly Legislation. (2021). SB 0122.

Donna Johnson Geist has 27 years of experience in education with a current focus of strengthening partnerships for continuous improvement.  Currently, she serves as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Cognia supporting partnerships which are supporting efforts across the country with a focus on school improvement. Prior to this role, she has served as a leader in two different State Departments of Education working in Accountability, School Improvement, and Statewide policy development. She began her career as a HS math teacher where she earned National Board Certification prior to entering district administration where she served as a curriculum and instruction supervisor and worked directly with two schools in turnaround designation.

Celeta Thomas-Watson is an experienced educator with 20 years in the field and a proven “turnaround leader expert.” Celeta serves as Senior Director of Leader Development for Cognia. She has served in various other district and state leadership roles throughout her career, including the Superintendent of one of Georgia’s lowest-performing school systems in rural Georgia. Prior to serving as superintendent, Celeta served as both an Assistant Superintendent and a Federal Programs Director. In addition to her work in school systems, she has served the Georgia Department of Education in the Office of School Turnaround/ School Improvement as a School Improvement and Professional Learning Specialist. In this position, Celeta organized state-wide professional learnings and led and trained over 5,000 plus Georgia leaders assigned to low-performing schools.