Summer break shouldn’t mean a break in school-family connections. In fact, maintaining communication during these months is crucial for reducing chronic absenteeism, boosting enrollment, and ensuring a smooth transition back to school in the fall.

In our on-demand webinar, Summer Communications: How to Engage Staff and Families Year-Round, education and communication experts Dr. Kara Stern (Director of Education at SchoolStatus) and Nydia Natividad (Director of Media & Communications at Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD) shared valuable insights on maintaining meaningful connections with families and staff during summer months.

Why Summer Communications Matter

The summer slide isn’t just about academics—it can also affect the strong relationships you’ve built with families throughout the school year. With one in three students chronically absent post-pandemic, maintaining engagement during summer months has never been more important.

“What I know now that I didn’t know as a principal is that we want to keep our community positively connected to the district, excited about our programs, and feeling valued even when they’re away from us,” notes Dr. Stern.

Effective summer communications lead to:

• Better learning outcomes when students return
• Building mutual trust between schools and families
• Higher family commitment and involvement
• Smoother back-to-school transitions for everyone

Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Through Summer Engagement

Despite slight improvements in the 2023-2024 school year, chronic absenteeism remains at crisis levels with approximately one-third of students missing enough school to be classified as chronically absent. This dramatically impacts graduation rates and successful life outcomes.

Nydia Natividad shares how her district approaches this challenge: “This year we are rolling out SchoolStatus Attend that will handle automatic mailers to battle absenteeism. Not only are they handling sending letters to our chronically absent families, but they’re also going to send letters to our families with excellent attendance to give them a pat on the back!”

Effective approaches to support attendance include:

1. Giving superintendents the microphone: Lead district-wide campaigns with consistent messaging and incentives
2. Focusing on school communities: Position schools as places of fun and community rather than mandatory destinations
3. Supporting teachers and building classroom buzz: When classes are announced, encourage early communications to establish classroom community

Keeping Families Connected All Summer

Summertime provides a perfect opportunity to maintain engagement while planning for the upcoming school year. Nydia uses several newsletter strategies to keep her community connected:

• “In the Community” Newsletter: Showcases local events, opportunities, and activities for students during summer
• “This Week in PBTISD” Newsletter: A weekly communication during the school year that details every event happening in the district

“I like to say summertime is the best time in Pecos,” says Nydia. “As a small community, it’s really great to see the things our kids do outside the walls of our schools.”

Preventing Staff Attrition with Summer Engagement

Replacing teachers is not only difficult for school leadership—it’s a serious detriment to student learning. Maintaining connections with staff throughout summer helps reduce attrition rates and keeps everyone feeling valued.

Strategies for engaging staff during summer months include:

• Human Capital Update Newsletters: Share important updates, celebrate staff achievements, and build excitement for the coming year
• Early access to back-to-school templates: Provide resources for classroom setup, welcome letters, and other materials
• Regular communication touchpoints: Maintain connection without overwhelming staff during their break

Back-to-School Communications That Work

When back-to-school season arrives, 57% of parents report it’s their most stressful time of year—even more stressful than the holidays. This creates a critical opportunity for schools to provide clear, helpful information that reduces anxiety and builds excitement.

Effective back-to-school communications include:

• “Meet the Principal” newsletters that introduce school leadership and explain back-to-school flow
• Introduction to counselors and school professionals to help families access resources
• Personal introduction emails from teachers to build trust before the first day
• “Welcome back” messages for returning students

Communication Best Practices

To ensure your communications are actually read and valued:

• Make information easy to find at a glance: Use bullets, formatting, and visuals
• Send messages at appropriate times: Avoid late Friday afternoons or other low-engagement periods
• Ensure messages are in the recipient’s preferred language
• Provide easy ways to follow up if action is needed
• Segment messaging so the right communications go to the right people
• Keep families’ unique needs and priorities in mind

Get Started Today

Summer communications shouldn’t be an afterthought—they’re a strategic opportunity to strengthen your school community year-round. By maintaining consistent, valuable touchpoints with both families and staff during the summer months, you’ll see improved attendance, stronger enrollment, and a much smoother back-to-school season.

Want to learn more about effective summer communications strategies?

Chronic absenteeism is one of the most urgent challenges facing K-12 education today. Mid-year benchmarks reveal nearly 1 in 4 students are chronically absent. While this data paints a stark picture, it also presents a valuable opportunity: with the right insights and the clear solutions, we can change the story.

Understanding Chronic Absenteeism Trends

Recent data from our Mid-Year Attendance Trends Report shows that absenteeism is not evenly distributed. Students in transitional grades (like 6th and 9th), those facing transportation or caregiving challenges, and students from historically underserved communities are disproportionately affected.

Recognizing these patterns empowers district leaders to act with precision. Instead of relying on broad-based initiatives, they can target support earlier, more intentionally, and with greater impact where it matters most.

Turning Insight into Impact with Student Data Tracking

When schools implement a real-time student data tracker, they don’t just monitor attendance, they gain clarity. Clarity around who needs help, when to intervene, and what actions move the needle.

Solutions like SchoolStatus Attend and SchoolStatus Connect enable:

• Early identification of students showing signs of disengagement
• Two-way communication with families through calls, texts, and emails
• Ongoing tracking of outreach, interventions, and student response

Districts using integrated student attendance management platforms report a significant reduction in chronic absenteeism, improved stakeholder coordination, and more efficient use of staff time.

The Data Behind Effective Interventions

SchoolStatus insights from districts nationwide reveal three common factors in successful interventions:

1. Two-Way, Personalized Communication: Connecting with families isn’t just about delivering information, it’s about listening. Two-way texting through SchoolStatus Connect gives families a voice and builds trust.
2. Data-Driven Prioritization: Students are more than numbers, but numbers help prioritize. Segmenting by attendance trends, academic performance, and engagement history helps focus support where it’s needed most.
3. Collaborative Intervention Planning: When attendance officers, counselors, teachers, and administrators all access the same insights, intervention becomes a coordinated effort, not a solo task.

Real Results From Districts That Made the Shift

Roseville City School District:
Building a Culture of Showing Up

In California, Roseville City School District wanted to improve communication with families and support consistent attendance. By implementing SchoolStatus, Roseville streamlined its messaging and brought all attendance efforts under one roof. The result? Improved visibility into who needed support, consistent outreach across schools, and increased family engagement.

Lake Worth ISD:
Enhancing Trust and Driving Down Absences

Lake Worth ISD in Texas faced rising chronic absenteeism and a communication gap with families. SchoolStatus Connect enabled the district to send customized, data-driven outreach to families and monitor responses in real time. Within the first semester of use, the district saw improved attendance rates and stronger connections with caregivers.

These districts show that with the right tools, chronic absenteeism interventions can become systemic, not situational.

Supporting Your Attendance Team Every Step of the Way

Attendance teams are stretched thin. Manually compiling spreadsheets, logging calls, and tracking family responses make it hard to scale what works. SchoolStatus eliminates these barriers with solutions that:

• Auto-populate daily attendance dashboards synced with your SIS
• Allow teams to schedule and document interventions from one interface
• Provide district-level and school-level trends in real time

When your systems speak the same language, your team can act faster and smarter.

Where Data and Action Align

Educators face a flood of disconnected data and tools. SchoolStatus unifies that ecosystem, empowering educators to take meaningful, measurable action. With smart attendance tracking, proactive communication, and shared visibility across roles, teams can:

• Spot risk early
• Reach the right families with the right message
• Track what works and adjust quickly

If you’re still using spreadsheets or disconnected systems, you might be missing the early signs that lead to chronic absenteeism. Utilizing the right platform changes everything.

Where Does Your District Stand?

Take a look at the most recent Mid-Year Attendance Trends Report to see national benchmarks and actionable insights. Compare your district’s data and identify opportunities to make a real impact—this year and beyond.

Or, explore how SchoolStatus can help you get started today!

In today’s post-pandemic education landscape, chronic absenteeism has become one of the most pressing challenges for K-12 schools nationwide. What was once a 13% national average has skyrocketed to 28%—an 89% increase that continues to impact student outcomes across the country.

The Alarming State of Student Attendance (And Why It Matters Now)

The numbers tell a sobering story:

• Chronic absenteeism rates remain 78% above pre-pandemic baselines
• High-poverty districts face rates as high as 36%
• Even low-poverty districts have seen rates double from 10% to 21%

But beyond these statistics lies an even more concerning reality: attendance issues account for 67% of course failures, far outweighing factors like demographics (7%) or test scores (5%).

Why Attendance Data Deserves Your Attention

Research from the University of Chicago has confirmed what many educators already suspected—attendance has emerged as the single strongest predictor of whether a student will graduate or drop out. This makes addressing absenteeism not just an administrative task but a critical mission with far-reaching implications.

The cost of inaction is substantial:

• Students who drop out earn $10,000 less annually than high school graduates
• Over a lifetime, dropouts earn more than $1 million less than college graduates
• Each cohort of dropouts costs the U.S. economy approximately $272,000 per student in lost tax revenue and increased social services

For districts themselves, the financial impact is immediate. With most state funding formulas tied directly to attendance, chronic absenteeism can drain hundreds of thousands in annual revenue.

Moving From Manual Tracking to Data-Driven Solutions

Despite the scale of this challenge, many districts continue to rely on outdated, manual processes to track and address attendance issues. These approaches simply cannot keep pace with today’s absenteeism crisis.

Forward-thinking districts are transforming their approach by:

1. Establishing clean attendance data foundations – Creating clear definitions for attendance codes and implementing weekly audit processes
2. Implementing early warning systems – Setting up specific triggers for interventions based on absence patterns
3. Conducting regular data reviews – Scheduling dedicated time to analyze patterns and evaluate interventions

Success Stories: Data Driving Results

Districts that have embraced data-driven approaches are seeing remarkable improvements:

• Grand Prairie ISD identified significant Monday and Friday attendance dips through data analysis. By strategically scheduling engaging events on these days, they achieved measurable attendance improvements.
  
• Roseville City School District faced a post-pandemic jump from 6% to 26% chronic absenteeism. Their systematic data tracking approach led to targeted interventions, resulting in a 62% reduction over two years.
  
• Sheldon ISD’s data analysis revealed that morning check-ins with trusted staff members were twice as effective as form letters for chronically absent students, allowing them to restructure their entire intervention strategy.
  

Starting Your Data-Driven Attendance Journey

The path to improved attendance doesn’t require overhauling your entire system at once. Successful districts typically start with:

• A single grade level or building as a pilot program
• Focus on progress rather than perfection
• Systematic documentation of what works and what doesn’t
• Regular celebration of concrete improvements

Don’t let chronic absenteeism continue draining your district’s resources and student potential.

We’ve created the ultimate resource for school leaders ready to take action: Leading with Data: A K-12 Guide to Attendance Success

What you’ll discover inside:

• A proven three-phase framework for building effective attendance data systems
• Step-by-step processes for turning attendance data into immediate action
• Specific early warning triggers that successful districts are using right now
• Strategies for making your attendance initiatives sustainable despite staff turnover
• Real-world case studies with concrete, replicable success strategies

The strategies in this guide have helped districts achieve up to 62% reduction in chronic absenteeism—even in today’s challenging environment.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE GUIDE and join the districts that are reversing the post-pandemic attendance crisis.

Sacramento, CA—May 7, 2025—As California schools face an urgent attendance crisis, SchoolStatus is standing alongside district leaders as a trusted and proven partner. With over two decades of expertise in developing impactful education technology and a deep understanding of California’s legal and regulatory landscape, SchoolStatus supports over 50% of school districts—more than 3.6 million students—in California alone.

“What sets SchoolStatus apart isn’t just our technology—it’s our comprehensive partnership approach. We’re providing California districts with a complete ecosystem: actionable data analytics, automated positive messaging that celebrates progress, and professional development that builds capacity within attendance teams,” said Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education & Engagement at SchoolStatus. “Instead of just flagging absences, we’re helping educators strengthen family relationships through personalized, respectful communication that meets families where they are—ultimately getting students back in the classroom and keeping them there.”

Proven Results from District Partners

SchoolStatus recently analyzed attendance data from 122 California districts and 800,000 students. It demonstrated a 21% drop in chronic absenteeism over three years, SchoolStatus partners compared to non-partner averages. These partner districts now average 93.45% daily attendance, closing in on pre-pandemic norms. 

Partner Highlights Include:

• Roseville City School District, where chronic absenteeism has fallen 43% in two years, with chronic rates among English Language Learners dropping from 13% to 7%.
• Los Nietos School District, where chronic absenteeism has been reduced by 51% in two years, with chronic rates among Special Education students dropping from 29% to 17%, and English Language Learners from 16% to 12%.

“SchoolStatus’ support has been instrumental in helping us significantly improve our attendance rates and decrease chronic absenteeism,” said Dr. Ramiro Rubalcaba, Superintendent of Los Nietos SD. “As a result of this partnership, our students are not only attending school more consistently, they are also showing remarkable growth academically and demonstrating greater engagement overall.”

Leadership Beyond Technology

SchoolStatus is a central voice in California’s family engagement and attendance recovery efforts. As a strategic partner of the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance (CASCWA) for over 15 years, SchoolStatus helps shape the conversation through statewide conferences, media, and thought leadership. Experts in data analytics, education policy, and school communications have recently:

• Co-presented with Redondo Beach USD at ACSA’s Every Child Counts Symposium
• Been spotlighted at CASCWA by Garden Grove USD and Roseville City SD
• Authored a widely-read EdSource op-ed on targeted approaches to address chronic absenteeism by grade level
• Published new attendance research cited by NPR and Yahoo News for data showing California partner districts bucking national trends

“Our data reveals that progress comes from combining early-warning systems with authentic family engagement,” Dr. Stern noted. “While we’ve seen major gains in elementary grades, we’re now helping districts address the more complex attendance challenges facing today’s high school students—where social factors, mental health concerns, and economic pressures create unique barriers to consistent attendance.”

As we anticipate the challenges and opportunities ahead in the 2025-2026 school year, SchoolStatus remains committed to supporting the dedicated educators and administrators across California’s K-12 schools who work tirelessly to help students succeed. By continuing to provide the tools, insights, and partnership that districts need, we stand ready to help make every school day count. Our 360° approach recognizes that when family engagement, teacher satisfaction, and attendance all improve together, we’re not just changing today’s classrooms—we’re building a stronger future for California’s students and communities for generations to come.

If you’re struggling with chronic absenteeism, download SchoolStatus’s free attendance tracker and other quick-start attendance resources in the Resource Library.olStatus can help reverse chronic absenteeism in your district, visit schoolstatus.com. 

Media Contact:

Annmarie Ely
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
schoolstatus@0to5.com
267.454.4686

Sacramento, CA—May 6, 2025—SchoolStatus, the award-winning provider of K-12 attendance and family engagement solutions, is making a big impact for districts across the U.S. with digital workflows, permission forms, and secure digital payments through the Forms & Flows platform. 

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows solves a real problem for district and school-based administrative staff: time-consuming paper-based forms and associated processes. In the face of ongoing questions around funding, finding more ways to be efficient is critical for many districts. 

By converting paper-based forms like Emergency Contact Cards, Medical Forms, and Staff Reimbursements into digital forms, districts save thousands of dollars in printing and mailing costs, as well as hundreds of hours manually printing and then following up on forms for thousands of students.

In addition to cutting out the tedious process of manual form collection, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows combines digital forms with powerful workflow automation that handles everything that happens after form submission, including routing, approvals, and follow-ups. 

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Product Innovation at a Glance

• Problem Solved: Time-consuming manual processes for form collection, payment tracking, and administrative workflows
  
• Money Saved: Up to $75,000 per school, per year
  
• Key Innovation: All-in-one platform that integrates digital forms, payments, and automated workflows, allowing districts to easily manage digital forms and parents to fill out forms on any device in 130+ languages

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“Paper-based forms and processes create inefficiencies for both schools and families,” said Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education & Engagement at SchoolStatus. “Schools spend thousands printing and collecting paper and hours carrying out complex processes. Families have to dig through backpacks to find important school forms and are often filling out forms in a non-Native language. We’re excited to give more schools and districts access to SchoolStatus Forms & Flows to make both form administration and completion a lot better.”

Key Features of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows:

• A library of templates to make form creation simple 
• Paperless form completion on any device, including mobile phones 
• Automated workflows for everything from approvals to form routing
• Secure, digital payments for library fees, school lunches, etc. 
• Easy access to data from completed forms on both desktop and mobile apps 
• Form translation in more than 130 languages to ensure accessibility 
• e-Signatures are securely accepted on required forms 
• Admin dashboards to keep track of form completion and next steps  

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows joins a suite of other SchoolStatus solutions, including the award-winning family engagement, school communications, and attendance products. Together, SchoolStatus helps thousands of districts nationwide prevent chronic absenteeism, simplify family-school communication, support teacher development, and create on-brand, ADA-compliant school websites.

Media Contact:
Annmarie Ely
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
schoolstatus@0to5.com
267.454.4686

As the school year winds down, communication priorities shift—but they don’t disappear. Summer is a powerful opportunity for district leaders and school communicators to maintain momentum, engage families, and lay the foundation for a smooth return in the fall.

With the right strategy and tools, you can avoid the summer communication slump and keep your community connected—without overloading your staff.

Why Summer Communication Is Essential

Strong school-home communication has a direct impact on outcomes:

• Improved student performance and engagement
  
• Increased attendance rates
  
• Better preparedness for the school year
  
• Stronger trust between families and schools
  

Consistent messaging—even during the off-season—signals reliability, transparency, and care. It ensures families stay informed, students feel supported, and your district stays aligned with its goals.

Common Summer Communication Challenges

Without a plan, summer communication often becomes inconsistent or reactive. Districts face several obstacles:

• Competing schedules: Families travel, routines shift, and attention spans change
  
• Staff transitions or downtime: Communicating with internal teams is just as critical as external outreach
  
• Back-to-school preparation needs a runway: Important dates, transportation updates, and enrollment info must be delivered at the right time
  
• Under-promoted summer programs: Opportunities for learning and support are missed without proactive promotion
  

A well-executed summer strategy doesn’t just maintain engagement—it builds momentum.

4 Key Elements of an Effective Summer Communication Plan

Here’s how to make the most of your district’s outreach during the summer months:

1. Define Clear Objectives

What do you need to achieve before August? Boosting summer program enrollment? Reducing absenteeism? Prepping families for day one? Setting focused goals makes your messaging more effective—and measurable.

2. Tailor Messaging to Your Audiences

Not all stakeholders need the same information. Customize messages based on who they’re for:

• Families: Summer tips, supply lists, health requirements
  
• Students: Reminders, positive messages, summer reading
  
• Staff: Professional development dates, tech prep, recognition
  

3. Use the Right Tools and Channels

A unified communication platform like SchoolStatus allows you to send personalized messages across email, text, phone, and more—all from one place. It also helps track engagement and ensure important updates reach every family.

4. Plan for a Strong School-Year Start

Begin building anticipation for the fall now. A strategic July-August calendar with well-timed updates will reduce confusion and create a smooth transition back to school.

Internal Communication Matters Too

Summer is also a time to strengthen internal relationships. Regular, simple updates to your staff:

• Reinforce alignment across departments
  
• Keep teams informed about changes or initiatives
  
• Recognize wins and milestones
  
• Help new staff onboard with ease
  

Good communication supports a healthy district culture—year-round.

Download the Free Summer Communication Guide

Looking for a ready-to-use resource?

Download our free Summer Communication Guide and get:

• A printable communication calendar
  
• Ready-made templates for emails, texts, and social media
  
• Pro tips for timing and targeting your messages
  

Make this summer a season of connection—not silence. With SchoolStatus, you can make every message count.

Get Your Free Guide →

Choosing the right school attendance management system is a critical decision for district leaders and school administrators. The right platform can significantly improve how you monitor attendance, identify at-risk students, and intervene early to boost student success. But not all systems are built the same. If you’re evaluating student attendance tracking software for your district, here are the top 10 must-have features to look for:

1. Attendance Tracking

A high-quality attendance system for school staff should provide real-time data through tools like SchoolStatus Attend, so educators can act quickly when students miss class or approach chronic absenteeism.

2. Early Warning Indicators for At-Risk Students

Your student attendance management software should use predictive analytics to flag students who need support, giving your team time to intervene and re-engage them. Learn how to spot at-risk students early.

3. Seamless SIS Integration

Choose a platform that integrates effortlessly with your Student Information System (SIS). This ensures data accuracy and reduces manual effort across platforms.

4. Mobile-Friendly Dashboards

Today’s educators need flexible tools. A mobile-responsive interface helps teachers and administrators track attendance and access student data anytime, anywhere.

5. Multi-Tiered Intervention Management

Support your MTSS framework with a system that makes it easy to assign and monitor tiered interventions, ensuring no student slips through the cracks.

6. Parent and Guardian Notifications

Family engagement is key to improving attendance. Platforms like SchoolStatus Connect offer built-in two-way communication to notify caregivers of absences and encourage dialogue. For more on engaging families, check out The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to a Consolidated School-Home Communications Solution.

7. Customizable Reporting and Analytics

Look for detailed reporting options to break down attendance trends by grade, subgroup, or school site. These insights can guide decisions at both school and district levels.

8. User-Friendly Interface

An intuitive design is essential. Your team should be able to use the software with minimal training, reducing barriers to adoption.

9. Compliance Support

State and federal reporting can be complex. Your student attendance tracking software should make compliance easy, with automated reports and built-in policy alignment.

10. Data Security and FERPA Compliance

Protecting student data is non-negotiable. Make sure the system you choose is fully compliant with FERPA and follows industry best practices for data security.

Choosing the Right Attendance and Engagement Tools

Investing in a comprehensive school attendance management system is one of the most effective ways to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve academic outcomes. SchoolStatus Attend makes attendance tracking seamless, while SchoolStatus Connect ensures meaningful communication with families to drive re-engagement.

Looking to improve attendance and boost engagement? Schedule a personalized demo to see SchoolStatus in action, and download our free Buyer’s Guide to compare features and find the right solution for your district.

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Related Resources:

• How to Spot At-Risk Students Early
• 5 Steps to Better Attendance
• Calculating the ROI of SchoolStatus for Your School District

Chronic absenteeism is rising across the country, and K–12 leaders are under increasing pressure to respond. Whether driven by state accountability changes, academic recovery efforts, or community expectations, improving attendance is a district’s top priority.

But there is a challenge. Many districts are trying to address attendance with fragmented data, siloed departments, and manual processes that stretch staff too thin. Despite good intentions, efforts often stall.

It does not have to be that way. With a more strategic, connected approach to data, district leaders can make measurable improvements without overwhelming their teams. This approach is outlined in our new resource, The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies.

Start With the Right Data at the Right Time

One of the most common roadblocks to improving attendance is delayed or disconnected data. When district leaders do not have access to timely attendance information, it becomes difficult to identify trends or intervene early enough to make a difference.

The eBook outlines the core data points districts should monitor regularly, including:

• Daily and period-level attendance trends
• Consecutive absences
• Intervention caseloads by tier
• Disparities by grade level, school site, and subgroup

More importantly, it emphasizes the need for real-time access to data that is centralized and actionable. Platforms like SchoolStatus Attend provide up-to-date visibility into attendance across every campus, helping leaders respond faster and plan more strategically.

For further reading on what data matters most, see EdWeek’s research on absenteeism trends post-pandemic.

Make Attendance a Shared Responsibility

Improving attendance should not fall entirely on the shoulders of school site staff. While teachers and counselors play a key role, district leaders must ensure the system they use enables collaboration across roles and departments.

The guide introduces a tiered attendance intervention model that helps align responsibilities across the district. This structure supports:

• Clear criteria for Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions
• Consistent communication with families and students
• Central tracking of actions and outcomes
• Streamlined coordination between central office and campuses

When district and school teams work from the same data and processes, they reduce duplicated efforts and increase the effectiveness of their outreach.

Access the framework in the full guide: The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies

Prioritize Outreach That Works

Family communication is a cornerstone of any successful attendance strategy. However, when outreach is inconsistent, untargeted, or time-consuming, it fails to make an impact.

The eBook encourages districts to move beyond mass messages and toward targeted, two-way communication. This means:

• Using attendance data to trigger timely messages
• Automating outreach for frequent absence patterns
• Translating messages into a family’s preferred language
• Tracking responses to close the communication loop

Tools like SchoolStatus Connect make this possible by integrating communication directly with student data and intervention logs. Teachers and staff can reach families by text, email, or call, and view real-time engagement metrics.

Need more insight on this? Read our Engagement Trends in School-Family Communications Report to learn how communication frequency and format impact outcomes.

Focus on Systems That Scale

Districts do not need more disconnected tools. They need systems that scale and support long-term improvement without creating more manual work.

The guide includes best practices for building sustainable, scalable systems such as:

• Automating documentation of attendance-related outreach
• Providing district-wide visibility into tiered interventions
• Training campus teams with clear protocols and built-in tools
• Measuring outcomes to inform policy and practice

Districts featured in the guide have successfully reduced chronic absenteeism while saving staff time by adopting integrated platforms that consolidate data and communication in one place.

For a real-world example, read how Troup County Schools tackled absenteeism with systemic, relationship-centered strategies.

Build a Smarter Path Forward

Addressing chronic absenteeism is not about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all programs. It is about building smarter systems that connect the right data to the right people, at the right time.

The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies offers a blueprint for doing exactly that. It is written for district leaders who want to drive meaningful change without adding more to everyone’s plate.

Inside, you will find:

• A framework for district-wide attendance improvement
• Tools to help teams work smarter, not harder
• Guidance on coordinating across roles and departments
• Real examples of success from other K–12 systems

When Dylan Jones, Director of Federal Programs and Data at Sunflower County Consolidated School District, looked at his district’s family engagement efforts, he saw a fragmented approach that wasn’t reaching all families. Fast forward to today, and Sunflower County has achieved a 5x increase in family engagement with 92% of surveyed families reporting improved school communication.

How did they do it? In a recent SchoolStatus webinar, “The New Rules of Family Engagement: Research-Backed Strategies that Actually Work,” Jones shared the district’s transformation journey and the practical strategies that made it possible.

The Challenge: Disconnected Communication in a Diverse District

Like many districts nationwide, Sunflower County faced significant communication challenges:

• Reactive communication: Reaching out primarily when problems arose rather than building ongoing relationships
• Inconsistent approaches: Each school had its own communication methods, creating confusion for families with children in multiple schools
• Language barriers: A significant multilingual population wasn’t consistently receiving accessible information
• Limited measurement: Without data on outreach effectiveness, improvement was difficult

These challenges reflected a broader trend in education. According to SchoolStatus research:

• Only 27% of families report feeling “very well informed” about their child’s academic progress
• Meanwhile, 81% of educators believe targeted engagement strategies could reduce chronic absenteeism

Watch: See the research behind the family-school communication gap:

The disconnect was clear: despite educators’ best intentions, families weren’t feeling adequately informed about their children’s education.

Why Solving This Matters: The Impact on Student Success

For Sunflower County, improving family engagement wasn’t just about better communication—it was directly tied to student outcomes:

Jones shared how his district evolved from inconsistent communication practices to a cohesive, data-driven approach. Their journey addressed several common challenges:

• Reactive rather than proactive communication
• Inconsistency across different schools
• Language barriers with multilingual families
• Limited visibility into communication effectiveness

The transformation focused on four key elements:

1. Implementing a two-way communication philosophy that treated families as partners
2. Ensuring multilingual accessibility for all communications
3. Using data to inform decision-making around engagement efforts
4. Establishing consistent standards across all schools

Sunflower County’s Transformation: A Framework for Success

Jones and his team implemented a systematic approach to family engagement that focused on four key elements:

Watch: See how a district like Sunflower County used SchoolStatus to transform their approach:

1. Shifting to Two-Way Communication

Rather than sending one-way announcements, Sunflower County embraced a philosophical shift toward treating families as partners in education: “We were reaching out when there were problems, but not consistently building relationships during positive times,” explained Jones. “We needed to change that fundamental approach.”

What they did:

• Moved from centralized communication to an empowered school-based approach
• Created opportunities for families to respond, ask questions, and share insights
• Scheduled regular touchpoints before problems arose
• Implemented a “positive first” policy where teachers initiated contact with good news

2. Breaking Down Communication Barriers

Recognizing their diverse community, Sunflower County prioritized accessibility in all communications.

What they did:

• Ensured all communications could be easily translated for their multilingual families
• Offered multiple communication channels based on family preferences
• Used visual, mobile-friendly formats that busy parents could easily consume
• Standardized communication approaches across schools for families with multiple children

3. Embracing Data-Informed Decision Making

Perhaps most importantly, Sunflower County implemented tracking systems to measure engagement effectiveness.

What they did:

• Documented who they were reaching—and who they weren’t
• Tracked engagement metrics to identify patterns and gaps
• Made regular adjustments based on what the data revealed
• Created accountability for outreach efforts

The Results: Measurable Improvement Across the Board

Sunflower County’s strategic approach yielded impressive results:

• 95% of students contacted at least once per term
• 5x increase in family engagement since initial rollout
• 92% of surveyed families reporting improved school communication
• 88% of families feeling more connected to their child’s academic progress
• 100% of principals and counselors using the system weekly
• Over 85% of teachers regularly initiating contact

Watch: How consistent implementation leads to fewer complaints and stronger engagement:

Beyond the numbers, Jones noted significant improvements in student outcomes:

How Your District Can Implement These Strategies

Effective family engagement doesn’t happen overnight, but implementing these three research-backed strategies can create meaningful change in your district:

1. Shift to two-way, proactive communication
2. Use inclusive approaches to reach all families
3. Let data guide your strategy and continuous improvement

As districts nationwide have discovered, when family engagement improves, so do student outcomes—from attendance and homework completion to academic achievement and graduation rates.

Ready to transform family engagement in your district? Check out our Guide, “5 Steps for Effective Family-School Communications.“

Attendance isn’t just a metric—it’s the foundation for learning, relationships, and long-term student success. But when districts rely on manual processes or outdated systems, they miss key opportunities to act early. That’s why more educators are replacing spreadsheets and disconnected systems with purpose-built, attendance tracking software for schools.

Whether you’re still using an attendance tracker in Excel or exploring a smarter attendance dashboard for teachers, here’s what sets effective solutions apart (and how the right platform can drive districtwide impact).

1. Real-Time Data That Drives Decisions

The best student attendance software doesn’t just track, it enables timely action. With real-time data, educators can quickly identify trends, uncover barriers, and support students before issues escalate. Real-time visibility is especially important in identifying chronic absenteeism early and coordinating quick interventions across departments.

See national chronic absenteeism data from the U.S. Department of Education.

With platforms like SchoolStatus Attend, educators can easily view daily absence patterns, compare historical attendance trends, and receive automated flagging for students who may need extra support. This makes every data point a trigger for positive action.

2. Built for Educators, Not Engineers

Great school attendance software fits seamlessly into the school day. Platforms should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and require little training—empowering educators to focus on students, not systems. If a system takes weeks to understand, it’s already lost its value.

Educators need tools that are easy to learn, with user-friendly dashboards, smart automation, and clean reporting. Systems like SchoolStatus prioritize accessibility and simplicity, ensuring school staff can confidently use the platform from day one.

3. Works Where Learning Happens

A reliable attendance app for teachers should work across devices, from classroom desktops to mobile hall passes. With more learning happening in flexible spaces (think pullout groups, intervention rooms, or field-based programs) mobile-friendly attendance tracking is a must.

Mobile access also empowers staff to take attendance in real time, no matter the location. That means fewer missed entries, more accurate records, and easier interventions.

4. Connects with Your SIS & Gradebooks

Your attendance system shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Look for solutions that integrate directly with your SIS, learning management system (LMS), and gradebooks. This keeps data consistent and reduces administrative overhead.

SchoolStatus connects to your core systems to ensure that attendance records, interventions, and communications are aligned across platforms. That integration helps your teams work smarter, not harder.

5. Automates the Right Alerts at the Right Time

It’s not enough to notice a problem, schools need to act before patterns become chronic. A great system helps by triggering alerts for concerning trends: students who’ve missed three consecutive days, reached a specific absence threshold, or shifted from “on track” to “at risk.”

By connecting alerts with family engagement tools like SchoolStatus Connect, your teams can follow up quickly through phone, text, or email—in the caregiver’s preferred language.

6. Provides Clear, Actionable Insights

Leadership teams need data that tells a story. Your student attendance software should offer customizable reports and visual dashboards that support school improvement planning, MTSS interventions, compliance reporting, and funding applications.

Whether you’re reporting to the board, preparing for audits, or guiding team decisions, access to the right information—in the right format—makes all the difference.

7. Scales with Your Strategy

Districts are constantly evolving. Whether you’re expanding programming, adjusting to state requirements, or taking a more personalized approach to family engagement, your tools need to grow with you.

Look for platforms that support customization, multi-campus structures, and evolving workflows, without requiring a new rollout every time your needs change.

8. Supports a Culture of Showing Up

More than just tracking attendance, a great platform promotes awareness and accountability. With proactive communication and insight into root causes, schools can shift from reacting to absences to preventing them.

SchoolStatus Attend works in tandem with SchoolStatus Connect to streamline interventions, drive equitable systems, and build trust with families. When educators, families, and administrators all see the same data—and can act on it together—everyone is more invested in helping students show up and succeed.

From Tracking to Transforming

At its core, attendance tracking is about building trust, identifying needs early, and keeping every student engaged. The right solution makes this easier, more efficient, and impactful.

With SchoolStatus, districts across the country are:

• Reducing chronic absenteeism by 10–30%
• Improving family response rates
• Saving time through automation
• Strengthening equity and compliance

Ready to move from tracking attendance to transforming outcomes? Download our Attendance Buyer’s Guide or schedule a demo today.

Related Resources

• The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to a Consolidated School-Home Communications Solution
• How to Spot At-Risk Students Early
• 5 Steps to Improve Student Attendance

Spring Attendance Drops (and Why It Matters)

Spring break may be over, but for many districts, a new attendance challenge is just beginning. The weeks between spring break and summer often bring a noticeable drop in daily attendance—and for students already at risk of chronic absenteeism, those missed days quickly add up.

As districts work to close out the school year strong, improving student attendance is one of the most effective ways to support academic success. With the right data and outreach strategies, district leaders can re-engage students, partner with families, and ensure every day counts leading up to the final bell.

1. Use Attendance Data to Identify At-Risk Students

Reducing chronic absenteeism in the spring starts with knowing who needs support.

With tools like SchoolStatus Attend, district leaders can quickly identify which students are trending toward chronic absenteeism and act before year-end learning gaps set in.

• Monitor students with 10–17% absenteeism—just under the chronic threshold
  
• Look for spikes in absences—following school breaks or on Mondays and Fridays
  
• Segment data by campus, grade, or demographic groups to target interventions
  

2. Empower Educators With Real-Time Attendance Insights

Attendance is a team effort. Be sure everyone in the school community has access to the right information.

Ensure that principals, attendance teams, and classroom teachers have up-to-date visibility into student attendance trends. With clear dashboards and weekly reports, school staff can take timely action when patterns emerge.

• Set up automated alerts for campus- or student-level attendance dips
  
• Provide weekly summaries to help schools stay proactive
  
• Track which interventions are most effective to refine your approach
  

3. Strengthen Family Engagement With Personalized Messaging

Improving spring attendance also means deepening relationships with families.

Using SchoolStatus Connect, districts can send personalized texts, emails, or phone calls that encourage attendance without creating defensiveness. The key is to reinforce that schools and families are on the same team.

• Use student-specific messages to highlight progress and encourage consistency
  
• Avoid punitive language—focus on support, opportunity, and connection
  
• Reinforce shared goals for student success

4. Reset Routines and Reinforce Expectations

After a break, students often need help getting back into the rhythm of school.

Spring is a great time for a “routine reset.” Whether it’s through morning announcements, classroom goal-setting, or a brief SEL lesson, re-establishing expectations can help students stay focused and engaged through the end of the year.

• Celebrate classroom wins tied to showing up
  
• Encourage teachers to set short-term goals leading into summer
  
• Use school-wide messaging to promote attendance as a shared value
  

5. Connect the Dots Between Attendance and End-of-Year Milestones

From field trips and awards to graduation and promotion ceremonies, the spring semester is full of meaningful moments.

Make sure students and families understand that every day of instruction matters and that showing up is the best way to be part of the celebration.

• Promote upcoming events across all communication channels
  
• Share stories of student growth that link back to consistent attendance
  
• Recognize students who’ve improved their attendance since the beginning of the year
  

Closing the Year Strong Starts With Showing Up

The last few weeks of school offer powerful opportunities to reinforce learning, celebrate progress, and build momentum into the summer. By using real-time data, personalized family communication, and consistent expectations, district leaders can improve spring attendance and help every student finish the year strong.

When a crisis strikes, clear and timely communication can make all the difference for your school district. Whether it’s a weather emergency, safety concern, or unexpected disruption, having a well-defined K-12 crisis communication plan is essential to keeping families informed and students safe.

Unfortunately, many districts wait until it’s too late to think about crisis communication.

That’s why we created the Crisis-Ready: A K-12 Communications Playbook—a practical guide to help school leaders prepare for the unexpected and respond with confidence.

Download your free copy now »

Why Your School District Needs a Crisis Communication Plan

When school emergencies happen, parents and staff look to leadership for accurate, timely updates. Without a solid plan in place, communication can break down—leading to confusion, mistrust, and even safety risks.

A strong school emergency communication plan helps you:

• Define roles and responsibilities ahead of time
  
• Deliver clear, consistent messages across communication channels
  
• Reduce misinformation and panic
  
• Maintain trust and transparency during high-stress situations
  

What’s Inside the K-12 Crisis Communication Playbook

This free resource is designed for district leaders, superintendents, and communication professionals. You’ll find:

• A step-by-step guide to creating your crisis communication plan
  
• Templates for emergency messages and parent notifications
  
• Tips for choosing the right communication tools (calls, texts, email, etc.)
  
• Best practices for communicating before, during, and after a crisis
  
• Strategies to strengthen community trust over time
  

Whether you’re starting from scratch or updating an existing plan, this playbook is built to help K-12 teams create a reliable, repeatable process for managing communication in any scenario.

Download the K-12 Crisis Communication Playbook »

Prepare Now. Communicate Better Later.

Emergencies can’t always be predicted—but your response can be prepared.

With the right tools and planning, your district can navigate crises while keeping your school community safe, informed, and supported. Take the first step by downloading our free playbook today.

Managing processes like student registration is anything but easy. It requires reams of paper, complex processes, and tons of back-and-forth between school staff and parents. There’s just so much to consider, like making sure parents fill out the right forms, following up with families who fail to complete required forms, ensuring staff members have all of the necessary forms before the first day of school, and a whole lot more.

To make managing forms and automating workflows a bit easier, we’re excited to add another innovative solution to the SchoolStatus family of products: SchoolStatus Forms & Flows (formerly Operoo), a workflow automation platform designed to streamline and simplify processes for K-12 schools and districts.

In this post, we’ll explain how SchoolStatus Forms & Flows can help your district operate more efficiently and save valuable time. 

Digitize Paper-Based Forms

The heart of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows is digital forms. The platform allows you to make any paper-based form digital including things like field trip forms, student registration, staff forms, and medical cards.

With fully customizable digital forms, you can:

• Allow parents to complete forms on any device. The days of parents crowding into the front office to complete back-to-school forms are officially over! Instead, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows you to send parents a link to a digital form that they can complete on any device and in the language of their choice.
• Find form completions in a few clicks. Rifling through a file cabinet to find the right form amid a crisis can be a nightmare. Luckily, digitizing paperwork means you can access form responses online or on our mobile app.
• Cut down on costs. By reducing the amount of paper flowing through your district, you’re not just saving the trees—you’re saving valuable time and money from your budget. 

Automate Key Workflows

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows doesn’t stop at just helping you digitize paperwork. Instead, we digitize the whole process. Think about everything that happens after a form is submitted. We can help with all of it!

Here’s how a school field trip might look with the power of automation:

• A teacher submits a field trip request form digitally
• The Assistant Principal in charge of student enrichment receives an email with the form submission attached and the option to approve the trip request or deny it with additional information
• The minute the trip is approved, the teacher receives an email with the good news and forms to request coverage for chaperones, submit a field trip meal request to the cafeteria, and a district-level form to request transportation
• The teacher submits the additional forms and sends out a field trip permission form to all of the parents in her classroom
• Families fill out the form in their native language on the device of their choice. They also can submit digital payments, instead of sending cash with their children.
• The teacher can run a report at any time to see which of her students have filled out permission slips. In the background, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows handles following up with parents who have yet to submit the permission form.
• Students enjoy the trip! The teacher is happy that running a field trip didn’t pull her away from her usual duties.

If your team spends hours completing all of the tasks that come after a form is submitted, automating the whole process with SchoolStatus Forms & Flows could give you all back tons of time.

Forms & Flows for Family Communications

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows families to complete forms on any device, in the language of their choice. But that’s just the beginning. The platform helps families submit the right forms, pay school fees and fines digitally, and protect their privacy.

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows helps families:

• Never miss an important form. Automated workflows can make forms available to families based on their responses. For example, if a family indicates that their child has to take medication each day, they would get access to a form that requires them to explain proper medication administration to the School Nurse. These automation steps help ensure the right families access the right forms with zero guesswork.
• Securely process cashless payments. Process library fees, field trip costs, extracurricular dues, lunch bills, and more with secure browser-based payments. 
• Protect privacy. School forms can include lots of sensitive data from students or staff members. Submitting forms digitally means you never have to worry about a file cabinet left open or a form left on a desk for anyone to see.

If you’re ready to start saving time, effort, and stress in your district, give SchoolStatus Forms & Flows a try. Reach out to our team for a demo of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows, and see for yourself what efficient digital workflows can do for your district. 

“I thought we were going to have 115% attendance when we came back after the pandemic. And it was actually the opposite.” 

This candid observation from Jessica Bull, Executive Director of Communication at Roseville City School District, captures what districts nationwide discovered as schools reopened: attendance challenges weren’t going away—they were intensifying.

The data confirms this reality. Chronic absenteeism rates still hover at 26% in the 2022-23 school year, nearly double pre-pandemic levels. This means one in four students is missing enough school to significantly impact their academic future.

Despite universal concern about this issue, our 2024 Educator Report uncovered a troubling disconnect: while 77% of educators consider school-home communication “critical” for improving outcomes, only 25% find it “very easy” to connect with families. 

This gap between intention and implementation helps explain why attendance problems persist.

Key Challenges in Attendance & Family Engagement

Our research with educators reveals a concerning pattern: most schools address attendance only after it becomes a problem. 

In fact, just 37% of schools regularly communicate with families about the importance of attendance, while the majority—58%—reach out only after absences accumulate. This reactive approach misses crucial opportunities for prevention. Further complicating matters, educators often struggle to confirm whether their communications even reach families. Nearly half (43%) report uncertainty about message reception, and almost a third contend with language barriers that make meaningful engagement difficult. 

Meanwhile, YouthTruth data shows only 42% of students feel connected to their school community, creating a perfect storm for attendance problems: when students don’t feel they belong, showing up becomes much less important to them.

District Success Stories:
Data-Driven Solutions that Work

Districts that have successfully reversed attendance trends share three common strategies:

1. Real-Time Data to Drive Early Intervention

Roseville City USD transformed their paper-based processes into a digital system providing immediate visibility into attendance patterns. “We had no way to quickly see who hasn’t been at school,” explained Attendance Supervisor Kim Peterson. “Now we can identify who those students are, who are the outliers, who are the groups that are right on that edge.” 

Results: Chronic absenteeism dropped from 18% to 10% in two years. 

2. Streamlined, Consistent Family Communication

Grand Prairie ISD eliminated their “time-consuming and cumbersome” manual processes by implementing automated but personalized communication systems. 

Results: 32% “save rate” for students at risk of chronic absenteeism and 23% improvement in conference effectiveness. 

3. Multilingual, Accessible Outreach

Prince William County Public Schools addressed communication barriers with diverse families through automated translation features and multiple communication channels.

Results: 97% of teachers feel better equipped to meet student needs, and 75% of students who received one attendance letter showed immediate improvement. 

The ROI of Improved Attendance

A 2023 study found that schools with strong family engagement before the pandemic experienced significantly better outcomes after, including:

• 39% smaller rise in chronic absenteeism
• 37% smaller decline in math proficiency
• 27% smaller decline in ELA proficiency 

While the national chronic absence rate improved by just 8.54% from 2021-22 to 2022-23, districts using integrated data and communication platforms saw improvements of 22.23%. 

Taking Action: Next Steps for District Leaders

Districts looking to improve attendance and family engagement should focus on:

1. Implementing real-time data systems that flag attendance concerns early
2. Automating routine communications while personalizing follow-up
3. Ensuring accessibility for all families through translation and multiple channels

These aren’t just theories—they’re practical approaches that real districts have used to turn around concerning attendance trends. Leaders considering technology to support attendance efforts could look to tools that solve actual day-to-day challenges, and  systems that provide real-time visibility so no one is working with last month’s data. Consider whether the platform integrates communication capabilities

Lastly, pay attention to whether the solution can help identify emerging attendance issues before they become chronic problems, as early awareness is often the key to successful intervention.

Choosing the Right Attendance & Engagement Technology

Selecting the right technology helps districts improve attendance while saving time and resources. Key features to look for include:

• Real-time Attendance Tracking: Provides instant data to prevent delayed interventions
• Integrated Communication Tools: Combines multiple communication methods into one platform
• Predictive Analytics: Identifies at-risk students early for proactive support
• Two-way Communication: Enables direct family engagement without extra apps
• Translation Capabilities: Ensures messages reach all families
• Customizable Dashboards: Offers clear insights into district-wide trends

Next Steps for District Leaders:

The data is clear: improving attendance isn’t just about tracking absences—it’s about strengthening family connections and identifying challenges early. Districts that take a proactive, data-driven approach are seeing measurable improvements, from lower absenteeism rates to better academic outcomes.

Addressing attendance challenges doesn’t require starting from scratch. Proven strategies—real-time data, consistent outreach, and accessible communication—are already working in schools nationwide. The key is taking that first step.

To help your district move forward, we’ve developed several practical resources:

• Attendance Goal-Setting Worksheet – Set clear, data-backed attendance targets
• On-Demand Webinar Series – Hear directly from district leaders who have successfully improved attendance
• ROI Calculator – See the potential impact of better attendance tracking and family engagement on your district’s resources

These tools can help you assess where you are today—and take meaningful action to improve student outcomes as soon as tomorrow.

Chronic absenteeism is on the rise across schools and districts, making it one of the biggest challenges educators face today. When students miss class, they fall behind academically, disengage from learning, and risk not graduating on time. The good news? Schools can turn attendance data into action with a strategic, research-backed approach.

To help districts tackle attendance challenges head-on, we hosted a free on-demand webinar: “5 Steps to Better Attendance.” In this expert-led session, we break down the key strategies that schools can use to improve student attendance, engage families, and drive long-term success.

Why Attendance Matters More Than Ever

The latest data shows that 1 in 3 students is chronically absent, meaning they miss 10% or more of the school year. Absenteeism is linked to:

• Lower academic achievement (especially in early grades)
• Higher dropout rates in middle and high school
• Decreased student engagement and school connectedness
• Equity gaps, as marginalized students often face the biggest attendance barriers

But with the right strategies, schools can reverse these trends and boost student participation. Our webinar explores five critical steps that help districts move from reactive to proactive attendance management.

Watch the full webinar on demand: Access the webinar here

The 5 Steps to Better Attendance

In this webinar, our attendance experts outline five proven steps for improving student attendance. Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:

1. Leverage Attendance Data to Identify At-Risk Students

The first step to improving attendance is understanding who is missing school and why. Schools need to:

• Use real-time attendance data to spot trends
•  Identify students who are at risk of chronic absenteeism
• Analyze patterns across grade levels, demographics, and time periods

With data-driven decision-making, districts can move beyond just tracking attendance to preventing absences before they become a problem.

2. Strengthen Communication with Families

Family engagement is a key driver of attendance. When parents and caregivers understand the importance of daily attendance, they are more likely to prioritize it.

This webinar covers best practices for proactive communication, including:

• Using text messages and calls instead of just emails
• Sending personalized attendance notifications
• Providing family resources and support for attendance challenges

Building strong school-home connections helps create a culture of attendance and keeps families involved.

3. Implement Tiered Attendance Interventions

Not all absences are the same. That’s why effective attendance management requires a tiered approach:

• Tier 1: School-wide attendance incentives & awareness campaigns
• Tier 2: Targeted outreach for students with moderate absenteeism
• Tier 3: Intensive interventions for chronically absent students

By matching interventions to student needs, schools can increase engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism.

4. Engage School Staff to Build a Culture of Attendance

Teachers, counselors, and administrators all play a role in supporting attendance. This webinar covers how schools can:

Train staff on early warning signs of absenteeism
Encourage teachers to build strong student relationships
Develop school-wide attendance initiatives that foster accountability

When attendance becomes a shared priority, schools create a supportive learning environment that students want to be part of.

5. Use Technology to Simplify Attendance Tracking

With the right attendance tools and automation, schools can streamline processes and reduce manual work.

In the webinar, we explore:

• Automated attendance alerts to flag at-risk students
• Dashboards and reporting tools for real-time tracking
• Parent communication tools to send personalized messages

By using technology-driven solutions, schools can gain valuable insights and act quickly to improve attendance rates.

Take Action: Watch the Full Webinar On Demand

Improving student attendance requires a proactive, data-driven strategy. By implementing the five steps outlined in this webinar, schools can increase attendance, reduce absenteeism, and create a culture of engagement.

Watch the full webinar now and start making an impact today!

Identifying which students are at risk of falling behind should not require digging through spreadsheets or complicated reports. Yet for many educators, that is often the case.

By the time attendance data is reviewed, weeks or even months may have passed. Students who needed support early on are now facing greater challenges.

SchoolStatus helps schools and districts act quickly. With attendance insights through SchoolStatus Attend, teams can spot early warning signs and take action before small issues become larger problems. Combined with SchoolStatus Connect, staff can communicate directly with families to help support students and keep them on track.

Why Early Warning Indicators Matter for Student Success

The earlier schools can identify students who are struggling, the better they can intervene and provide support. Attendance is one of the most reliable early warning indicators. A student who begins missing more days than usual may be showing signs of disengagement or facing challenges at home.

According to our 2024-25 Mid-Year Attendance Snapshot, attendance challenges continue to impact schools across the country. Students who are chronically absent are significantly more likely to fall behind academically.

By acting on early attendance trends, schools can provide students with timely support and potentially prevent long-term consequences.

Why Schools Struggle to Identify At-Risk Students

Many educators understand the importance of early intervention, but identifying which students need attention can still be difficult.

Here are some of the reasons:

• Data is often scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult to build a full picture of a student’s needs
• Reports may be outdated by the time they are reviewed
• Staff may lack the time or capacity to manually analyze data patterns

Because of these barriers, students who need help might go unnoticed until more serious issues arise. That’s why having a centralized, real-time view of attendance trends is so critical.

How SchoolStatus Makes Early Intervention Simple and Actionable

One Place for Attendance Trends

SchoolStatus Attend gives district staff and attendance admin a clear view of student attendance patterns. The platform highlights when a student’s attendance is trending downward, helping teams take proactive steps before chronic absenteeism sets in.

Communication That Drives Action

With SchoolStatus Attend, schools can automate official communications, such as sending physical letters or digital notifications, to alert families when specific attendance thresholds are met.

When more personal, two-way outreach is needed, SchoolStatus Connect allows educators to call, text, or email families directly. All communication is logged automatically, making it easy to keep everyone aligned and informed.

Designed for Efficiency

SchoolStatus Attend is built for the staff responsible for monitoring and responding to attendance trends. It ensures the right people have access to the information they need to support students effectively.

A Step-by-Step Approach to Using SchoolStatus for Early Intervention

1. Connect Your Data Systems

Integrate your SIS and attendance data to centralize student attendance information within SchoolStatus Attend.

2. Set Up Early Warning Indicators

Define thresholds that indicate when a student might be at risk, such as missed days or consistent declines in attendance.

3. Train Staff to Use the Platform

Provide training so administrators can interpret attendance trends and respond with appropriate actions.

4. Communicate with Families

Use structured messages in the platform or personalized outreach through SchoolStatus Connect to notify families and build collaboration around solutions.

5. Monitor Progress and Adjust Support

Track whether interventions are improving attendance and continue communication to ensure ongoing support.

Why Early Action Changes Outcomes

Schools that act early based on real-time data are better equipped to help students stay on track. One district using SchoolStatus reduced chronic absenteeism by reaching out to families when attendance began to decline. Timely outreach helped prevent long-term disengagement.

When schools have the right tools in place, they can build stronger relationships with families and ensure that students receive support before problems escalate.

Bringing It All Together

Supporting at-risk students starts with knowing who needs help and when to step in. SchoolStatus Attend helps districts track attendance trends in real-time, while SchoolStatus Connect enables effective family communication. Together, these tools give educators what they need to intervene early and make a difference.

To learn how SchoolStatus can help your district identify and support at-risk students earlier, book a demo.

Related Resources

• 5 Key School Communication Tips for At-Risk Students
• 2024-25 Mid-Year Attendance Snapshot
• The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies

When school districts invest in new technology, they need proof that it delivers real value. For district leaders tackling chronic absenteeism, SchoolStatus offers a data-driven approach that improves attendance and maximizes funding. But how can you measure the financial impact of better attendance?

Enter the Attendance Impact Calculator—a powerful tool that quantifies how increased attendance translates into student success and district revenue.

The Financial Impact of Attendance on Your District

Chronic absenteeism is one of the biggest challenges facing K-12 education today. Students who miss school regularly are less likely to succeed academically, and in many states, school funding is directly tied to Average Daily Attendance (ADA) or similar models. Every absent student represents a potential loss in funding, making attendance management a critical financial priority.

For more insights on how chronic absenteeism affects learning outcomes, check out our blog on understanding and addressing chronic absenteeism. 

How the Attendance Impact Calculator Works

The Attendance Impact Calculator from SchoolStatus gives district leaders a clear, data-backed projection of how improved attendance can increase funding. By inputting key variables—such as student population, current attendance rates, and funding models—the tool generates actionable insights, helping districts:

• Identify trends in attendance and funding gaps
• Quantify potential revenue gains from attendance improvements
• Develop data-driven strategies to engage students and families

Want to understand how ADA-based funding works? Learn more from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) about school finance policies in your state.

Why Districts Choose SchoolStatus for Attendance Management

The best way to boost attendance isn’t just tracking absences, it’s proactive intervention. SchoolStatus equips districts with real-time student data, automated attendance alerts, and communication tools that empower educators to connect with families before attendance issues escalate.

Key benefits include:

• Early Intervention Strategies – Identify at-risk students and take action before absences become chronic
• Seamless Parent Communication – Personalized, real-time messaging helps address attendance barriers
• Maximized Funding Potential – Optimize ADA-based funding by keeping students in school
• Data-Driven Decision-Making – Leverage powerful analytics to refine attendance policies

Read how data-driven strategies are transforming districts in our latest post on The Power of Data to Drive Student Outcomes.

Take the First Step Toward Improving Attendance

Attendance isn’t just about showing up—it’s about engagement, access, and opportunity. Addressing chronic absenteeism requires proactive strategies backed by data. Learn more in our in-depth guide: Leading with Data: A K-12 Guide to Attendance Success. 

Use the Attendance Impact Calculator today to see how boosting attendance can enhance student outcomes and maximize district funding.

Try the Attendance Impact Calculator Now and start making data-driven decisions that drive real results for your district.