Improving school attendance in Rhode Island

Editor’s note: This essay won third place in Fordham’s 2024 Wonkathon, which asked contributors to answer this question: “How can policymakers and practitioners radically reduce chronic absenteeism—at least below pre-pandemic levels and preferably much further?” Learn more.

School attendance is a critical factor influencing students’ academic success and long-term outcomes. In Rhode Island, chronic absenteeism has been identified as a significant barrier to educational achievement and high school graduation. In response, Governor McKee and state leaders launched the Learn365RI initiative and the AttendanceMattersRI program to address and improve school attendance. This essay explores the importance of school attendance, the strategies implemented through a collective impact approach across Rhode Island leaders to combat absenteeism, and the outcomes and future recommendations for sustaining this critical effort. Central to this effort has been Governor McKee and his office, the Rhode Island Department of Education, and the nonprofits The Partnership for Rhode Island and Always Learning Rhode Island.

The importance of school attendance

Regular school attendance is foundational for student success. Missing even a few days of school each month can severely impact a student’s academic performance and their likelihood of graduating high school. According to data from the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System (RICAS) and the SAT results, there is about a 20-point gap in performance between students who attend school regularly and those who are chronically absent. This gap underscores the critical need to address absenteeism to ensure that all students reach their full potential.

The Learn365RI Initiative

In April 2023, Governor McKee launched the Learn365RI initiative, emphasizing the importance of improving attendance, reading, and math skills, and ensuring that students graduate high school with a clear plan for their future. The big idea is that learning does not just happen in school, but after school, on the weekends and on school-year and summer vacations; learning is a 365-day activity that we need to embrace and invest in. The AttendanceMattersRI campaign, a core component of Learn365RI, aims to tackle chronic absenteeism through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach involving community engagement, public awareness, and data-driven strategies.

Strategies and milestones

The AttendanceMattersRI initiative has implemented several key strategies and achieved significant milestones over the past year:

1. Public awareness campaigns: A series of op-eds and public opinion pieces by community leaders, including the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the State Secretary of Commerce, mayors, and high school students, have highlighted the importance of school attendance. These articles aim to shift the public mindset and emphasize the value of regular attendance for the future of Rhode Island’s children and the state as a whole.
2. Real-time data dashboards: The Rhode Island Department of Education has developed a set of nine public data dashboards that tracks chronic absenteeism at every school, updated daily. The only state education department in the country to publicly publish data on a daily basis, Rhode Island’s transparency allows for real-time monitoring and accountability, helping educators, parents, and policymakers to understand and address attendance issues promptly.
3. Statewide attendance working group: Led by Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante Green, a diverse working group, including educators, administrators, students, community leaders, clergy, and business representatives has been convened to discuss attendance issues and propose effective strategies to combatting chronic absenteeism. This collaborative approach ensures that multiple perspectives are considered in developing policies and interventions.
4. Direct support to schools: The Rhode Island Department of Education provides schools with robust internal dashboards, nudge tool reminders (parental text messages), backpack letters, direct mail, and state leaderboard competitions to encourage and support improved attendance.
5. Attendance videos: The creation of over sixty videos featuring community leaders, influencers, and students themselves has been a critical part of the campaign. These videos aim to engage and motivate students and parents by conveying the importance of regular attendance in a relatable and compelling way.

Community and leadership engagement

Effective engagement of local leadership has been a cornerstone of the AttendanceMattersRI initiative. Schools alone cannot solve the attendance crisis; it requires the support and involvement of the entire community. Mayors, business leaders, church leaders, and medical professionals have all played vital roles in conveying the importance of school attendance and encouraging families to prioritize education.

Challenges and data dissonance

Despite the progress made, challenges remain. Data from various schools indicate that some schools have an inverse relationship between student beliefs about the importance of attendance and actual attendance rates. For instance, some schools with higher reported attendance rates often have lower student belief in the importance of attendance, suggesting a need for deeper analysis and targeted interventions to address underlying issues and misconceptions.

Outcomes and future recommendations

The initial outcomes of the AttendanceMattersRI initiative are promising, with improvements in awareness and some attendance metrics. Through 167 days of the 2023–2024 school year, Rhode Island schools reported nearly 300,000 fewer days absent than at the same point in time in the previous year and nearly every school in the state on-track to improve attendance rates and reduce chronic absenteeism rates. However, sustaining and building on this progress requires ongoing effort and innovation. Future recommendations include:

1. Enhanced data analysis: Conducting more detailed analyses to understand the factors contributing to data dissonance and tailoring interventions to address specific needs and contexts within different schools and communities.
2. Continued community engagement: Expanding the involvement of local leaders and community members to reinforce the importance of attendance and support families in overcoming barriers to regular school attendance.
3. Strengthening support systems: Providing additional resources and support to schools, particularly those with high rates of chronic absenteeism, to implement effective attendance improvement strategies.
4. Innovative communication strategies: Leveraging social media, local media, and other communication channels to reach a broader audience of parents and caregivers to sustain the momentum of the public awareness campaign.

Conclusion

Improving school attendance is essential for the academic success and future well-being of Rhode Island’s students. The Learn365RI and AttendanceMattersRI initiatives have made significant strides in addressing chronic absenteeism through a comprehensive, community-driven approach. Continued focus, innovation, and collaboration will be crucial in sustaining this progress and ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically and beyond. By prioritizing attendance and engaging the entire community, Rhode Island can create a culture that values education and sets its students on the path to success.