Abstract
This paper addresses remedies to one of the profound educational challenges post-pandemic: chronic absenteeism, particularly in urban districts. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10% of school days. Despite being ranked as having the best K-12 school system in the United States, Massachusetts continues to see post-pandemic chronic absenteeism rates near 20%. These rates have significant impact on student achievement, graduation and dropout rates. Racial minorities, English language learners, and economically disadvantaged students are particularly impacted. My school, the Global Learning Charter Public School in New Bedford, Massachusetts improved in chronic absenteeism rate from 23.6% in 2022 to just 3.5% in 2025, in which the school had the third highest attendance rate in the state. This is more than four times less than the state average. My paper discusses the concrete steps Global Learning Charter has taken to tackle the problem of chronic absenteeism, including a robust family engagement staff, a student-centered culture and curriculum, and strong SEL and on-site counseling services to address mental health concerns.
Presenters
Derek MichaelDirector of Academics, Global Learning Charter Public School, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Educational Organization and Leadership
KEYWORDS
Chronic Absenteeism, School Design, Charter Schools, Family Engagement, Equity
