The 2026 Attendance Awareness Campaign kicked off on April 1 with our first webinar, “Nurture Belonging in the Spring.” Speakers shared what they are doing during the spring months to strengthen a sense of belonging among the school community and emphasized that these actions are part of a year-long attendance strategy.
Hosted by Attendance Works, the Institute for Educational Leadership and campaign partners, the webinar featured this year’s AAC theme, Your Presence Matters!. The session webinar explored why a positive school climate that fosters belonging, trust and engagement is essential to improving attendance. Speakers made it clear that when students feel seen, valued and connected, they are more likely to show up and stay engaged in learning.
Hedy Chang, CEO and president of Attendance Works, noted that improving attendance starts with investing in the positive conditions for learning so students feel physically and emotionally safe, supported and connected. Hedy highlighted the need for a comprehensive, prevention-oriented strategy that uses actionable data, strong partnerships, and shared responsibility across schools, districts and states.
Angelica Infante-Green, commissioner of elementary and secondary education in Rhode Island, shared how the state has reduced chronic absence by building a statewide attendance campaign that combines real-time data, coordinated communications and broad community partnerships. Rhode Island’s strategy includes a public data dashboard, outreach from the governor and elected officials, student and family surveys and campaigns that help families understand how absences add up over time. She emphasized that improving attendance is a “team sport” requiring schools, families, health providers, business leaders and community partners to work together.
Elizabeth Cook, director of The 50% Challenge at Attendance Works, cited research by GENYOUth showing that belonging is a key condition for meaningful engagement in school. This unreleased research is a nationally representative survey of more than 1,500 students, which found that belonging and community were the top wellness factors connected to attendance.
District leaders from Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools in Nebraska described how relationships and relevance are helping students take ownership of their education. Superintendent Jon Cerny, along with Karin Vogt and Kyle Elsasser, shared how personalized learning plans, career pathways, dual-credit opportunities and work-based learning experiences help students see the purpose of school and connect learning to their futures. They also pointed to the importance of student activities, mentorship, incentives and a strong sense of community in helping students feel connected and motivated to attend.
Leaders from Mobile County Public Schools in Alabama, including Terrence Mixon and Denise Reimer, described a districtwide approach that keeps attendance at the forefront through data monitoring, attendance teams, monthly local school attendance certification, family outreach and strong community collaboration. Their strategies include parent organizers, school-based mental health supports, bullying prevention programs, peer mentoring and incentives that encourage students to stay engaged. They emphasized early intervention, removing barriers and building strong relationships with students and families before attendance challenges become more serious.
Find a list of links to the resources shared in the chat box during this webinar.
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