Addressing Absenteeism in Oregon Classrooms
When It Comes to Attendance, Every Day Matters
The Oregon Department of Education’s mission to help kids succeed in school on a record of strong attendance.
Every Day Matters
For every Oregon student, maintaining a good attendance record is key to success. When students regularly attend class, they stay on track with lessons, assignments, and class discussions, all of which are crucial to deepening their understanding of the material. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation for learning, boosts academic performance, fosters a sense of responsibility and, perhaps more crucially, a sense of belonging. On the flip side, frequent absences can make it harder to catch up, leading to gaps in knowledge and missed opportunities for growth. Simply put, showing up matters—not just for grades, but for long-term success.
As public schools across the nation continue to grapple with the transition from remote to classroom learning in the wake of COVID, Oregon’s Department of Education (ODE) is leaning into the importance of boosting student attendance through an initiative called Every Day Matters. Their efforts highlight the importance of strong attendance, not just on grades, but as a way to improve overall student health and wellbeing.
ODE focuses on the four root causes of absenteeism: students not wanting to go to school, not having proper transportation to get to school, family or parent misconceptions about the importance of regular attendance, or other factors that influence a student’s ability to attend school.— Cassie Medina, Assistant Superintendent in the Office of Education, Innovation and Improvement
Walk ‘n’ Roll
Safe Routes to School
Active travel to school doesn’t just happen. Schools are taking a role in creating safe routes for walking, biking, and rolling to class.
Transportation and Attendance
Working in conjunction with the Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS), Oregon schools are actively working to identify barriers to walking, biking, and rolling to school. The program assists schools with initial surveys while providing staff training and materials to encourage active travel to school. When a lack of sidewalks, bike lanes, or safe crossings are an issue, schools can apply for grants through SRTS to improve routes between neighborhoods and schools.
It’s not just about having back-up plans for getting to school. Kids who walk and bike to school tend to be healthier, happier, and often do better academically — all of which fosters better attendance.
The Shadow Project
Children who struggle with learning differences like ADHD, autism, dyslexia or trauma can find it hard to fit into traditional classrooms at school. The Shadow Project is available in many Oregon schools (sometimes funded by Lottery dollars) to address their challenges.
The Shadow Project provides teachers and assistants with training to help students build core skills such as literacy. As their skills level up, so too does their sense of belonging at school. The result is often improved attendance.
Watch the video to learn more about how the Shadow Project helps address attendance challenges for these students!
Food for Thought
Students whose days include both a healthy breakfast and lunch are better prepared for learning and positive interactions throughout the day. Good nutrition helps their immune systems resist or recover from illnesses that might otherwise reduce their classroom attendance.
It turns out, however, that making these meals available at school is only part of the equation. Even when disadvantaged students are provided with free meals, they are often served through a system that requires them to be identified as such — a situation that can lead to stigma, shame and even bullying.
One way to address this challenge is to offer free breakfast and lunch to ALL students, regardless of their families’ incomes. This year, about 70% of Oregon schools offer universal free breakfasts and lunches to all students (up from 55% in 2022/2023) — and the goal is to increase that number in the coming years. Eating meals at school helps students feel more connected; knowing that every student eats for free helps students feel equal.
Making a Difference: School Nurses
Research shows that increasing the number of school nurses can reduce rates of chronic absenteeism, and Oregon is working to hire more of these critically important health professionals. School nurses are uniquely positioned to address students’ health-related challenges — like asthma, dental issues, mental health concerns, and more — any of which can lead to unplanned and ongoing absences.
Nurses play a crucial role by working closely with families, providing necessary health education, and directly addressing medical needs. Schools with active health initiatives, including full-time nurses and coordinated school-based health centers, see significant reductions in absenteeism and improvements in student outcomes, highlighting the important role school health providers play in attendance-improvement efforts.
The Need for Belonging
Through many efforts, Oregon schools are working to foster a sense of belonging among their students. There is a strong positive relationship between sense of belonging and attendance rates across grade levels, with four indicators showing particularly strong association: “I feel welcome at school”, “I have friends at school”, “I like going to school”, and “There are adults at my school who care about me.”
When students can agree with these statements, school becomes a place where they want to be every day. A sense of belonging leads to better attendance just as better attendance leads to greater chance at academic success.
Supporting Education Across the State
LOTTERY DOLLARS DOING GOOD THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Economic Growth
State Parks
Outdoor School
Natural Habitats
Public Schools
