The third AAC webinar, “Student Connectedness Fosters Attendance and Engagement” on August 6 showcased practitioners that are building strong student relationships to reduce chronic absence. Find the recording and materials here.
Chronic absence has decreased slightly from pandemic highs but remains at concerning levels, with one in four students chronically absent nationwide, said Hedy Chang, executive director of Attendance Works. Chang identified key root causes—including barriers, aversion, disengagement and misconceptions—and emphasized that relationship-building is essential to overcoming them. She shared several strategies for fostering connectedness, such as empathy interviews and relationship mapping, and stressed that connectedness must be part of every tier of support—from universal to intensive.
Naomi Tolentino Miranda, coordinator of Attend to Achieve, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, said the district has shifted away from a punitive approach to missing school and is focusing on prevention and relationship-based strategies. For example, every school is required to create an attendance plan that includes morning meetings, relationship-building activities and supplemental strategies informed by school-level data. Since implementing these approaches, the district’s chronic absence rate dropped from 50% to 34.5%—an improvement that exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
Zaneta Boles, principal, Silver City Elementary School, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, introduced her school’s “champion strategy,” which ensures every student is known and supported by a caring adult. All staff—including teachers, paraprofessionals and custodians—are assigned a list of students to check in with regularly. One story captured this approach: a preschool student received a positive note from his champion and loved it so much that he posted it on his front door for everyone to see. Since implementing these practices, Silver City Elementary has reduced its chronic absence rate from 54.9% to 38.3%.
Stacey Losh, manager of ESEA, improvement and support office, West Virginia Department of Education, presented the STRIVE Framework, West Virginia’s strategic, statewide approach to support student success by aligning attendance, behavior and academic interventions. The department has a collaborative leadership structure that includes attendance directors from each region and coordinates monthly with site-level staff, truancy diversion specialists and Communities In Schools (CIS) coordinators. These partnerships help to identify and share promising practices while ensuring consistency and alignment across the state.
Cynthia Sorsaia, CIS coordinator, West Virginia Department of Education, detailed how the CIS model has expanded to all 55 counties in the state. By placing site coordinators directly in schools, CIS staff build trust with students and families, learn about the root causes of chronic absence and connect those in need to the right supports.. Sorsaia emphasized that “support moves at the speed of trust,” and strong school-based relationships are foundational to improving student attendance.
Speakers also highlighted creative strategies for secondary students. One West Virginia high school hosted surprise “Just Because You’re Here” events—such as selfie stations and concerts—to reward students for showing up. Others grouped students for peer discussions around attendance barriers and provided structured support from counselors, officers and social workers. These approaches, grounded in student voice and connection, are helping schools shift the culture around attendance without resorting to punitive measures.
Did you miss a webinar? Find the presentation recording, slides and a discussion guide on our website.
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