Chronic absenteeism continues to challenge schools nationwide. With an estimated 11 million students missing 10 percent or more of the school year during the 2024–2025 school year, the scope of the issue can feel daunting.
But during the ParentSquare webinar Tackling Chronic Absenteeism: Practical Strategies for K–12 Leaders, the conversation moved away from frustration and compliance. Instead, district leaders focused on something more attainable: human connection, empathy, and consistent communication that helps families feel seen and supported.
Dr. Shelly Reggiani
Associate Superintendent
Beaverton School District (OR)
Anthony Da Marto
Executive Director of H.E.A.R.T.
(Health, Enrollment, Attendance, Resources, & Translation)
Natomas Unified School District (CA)
Alex Meis (Moderator)
Senior Director of Product & Chronic Absenteeism Expert
ParentSquare
Reframing attendance as a relationship signal
Attendance data matters, but data alone doesn’t explain why students miss school.
Alex Meis, Vice President of Attendance Strategy at ParentSquare, encouraged leaders to stop viewing attendance primarily as a compliance issue and instead treat it as a relationship metric. She emphasized the importance of Tier Two students, those missing 10 to 20 percent of school, where early, thoughtful outreach can change a student’s trajectory.
Her message for leaders was straightforward: “Ask, don’t accuse.”
As Alex shared during the session:
“Attendance isn’t just about counting students; it’s about making every student count. How do we exercise that positive outreach on a consistent basis to promote that sense of belonging?”
Takeaway: When communication centers on curiosity and care, families are more likely to engage and respond.
Culture drives attendance more than consequences
Throughout the webinar, panelists Dr. Shelley Reggiani of Beaverton School District in Oregon and Anthony Da Marto of Natomas Unified School District in California agreed that one consistent theme was clear: culture has a greater influence on attendance than enforcement.
Anthony shared how one school in his district improved attendance by eight percent not by sending more letters and notifications, but by investing in school climate—specifically, empowering student leadership to organize activities and events that made school feel welcoming and worth attending.
He also addressed a common misconception that can undermine outreach efforts.
“It is a myth to think that families don’t care. They may not be prioritizing attendance because something else is going on in their life, but I have yet to find a parent or a student who didn’t care.”
Shelley reinforced this perspective:
“Families are doing the best they can with where they are right now. So, how can we leverage that? Lean into the relationship and support.”
Takeaway: When schools assume positive intent and communicate accordingly, families are more likely to engage in problem-solving conversations.
The stories behind the data
For many district leaders, attendance work is deeply personal. Anthony shared his own experience as a student and how connection changed his path:
“My ‘why’ is that I was a struggling student growing up. I really struggled with school connection, and it wasn’t until I got into high school that participating in sports really connected me.”
These experiences shape how leaders interpret data. Shelley cautioned against relying too heavily on district averages, which can conceal the students who need the most support.
“If we settle for the ‘all’ data, it masks hidden pockets. We have a commitment to looking at data and parsing it out. The finer-tooth the comb we can use, the better.”
Takeaway: Looking more closely at data allows schools to respond earlier, with communication that acknowledges individual circumstances rather than relying on one-size-fits-all messages.
Small moments, consistent messaging, real impact
At the center of chronic absenteeism is a simple truth: relationships matter. As Shelley emphasized, “No significant learning happens without a significant relationship.”
Research continues to show that family engagement is often a stronger indicator of attendance than socioeconomic factors alone. While data helps identify patterns, empathy-driven communication helps uncover barriers and build trust. When data and empathy work together, progress happens one relationship at a time.
The webinar closed with a reminder that meaningful change often starts small, from tracking how breakfast menu choices affected Monday attendance to sending home “positive postcards” to help families feel connected before challenges arose.
These moments add up, especially when supported by consistent, two-way communication. To help schools build the capacity to make these connections, ParentSquare Attendance Plus gives attendance teams the ability to reach families quickly with personalized outreach and a supportive tone.
Takeaway: By shifting from punitive truancy measures to empathetic outreach that asks, “Is everything okay?” schools can transform attendance interventions into meaningful connection.
Continue the conversation
The strategies and perspectives shared here come directly from the ParentSquare webinar Tackling Chronic Absenteeism: Practical Strategies for K-12 Leaders, featured throughout this post. Watch the on-demand session to hear directly from district leaders as they share how empathy, culture, and consistent communication shape their attendance work.
For districts ready to put these ideas into practice, ParentSquare Attendance Plus helps teams save time, spot attendance patterns earlier, and communicate with families in ways that feel timely, personal, and supportive.
Explore the webinar or learn more about Attendance Plus to see how thoughtful messaging and strong relationships can help improve attendance across your community.