Teachers

As teachers, you play a key role in addressing chronic absence. The good news is that you don’t have to solve this alone. You can:

  • Take roll regularly showing students that you care when they miss school

  • Reach out to frequently absent students to find out in a supportive manner why they are missing school and what would help them attend more regularly.

  • Work with parents to stress the importance of early education and to learn about any barriers to good attendance.

  • Create a nurturing, engaging classroom that will encourage children to come to school. Work with colleagues to develop and implement a school-wide system of incentives and reward for good attendance.

  • Encourage families to partner with other school staff, such as social workers or nurses, as well as community agencies to get needed supports to help children and families solve a significant barrier to getting to school.

When schools and communities work together to provide a comprehensive, tiered system of supports to students and families—that address the reasons for student absences—they can reduce chronic absence. Learn More 

The Attendance Works Teaching Attendance Curriculum is designed to equip school leaders, teachers and school support staff with an understanding of chronic absence, as well as  guidance and resources to improve attendance in grades K-12.

Learn More

Find strategies and resources designed for teachers and other school staff in our Teaching Attendance 2.0 toolkit.

Learn More

Middle and High School students and families respond to slightly different messaging and approaches.

Learn More

Throughout the month of September, organizations and communities throughout the country use Attendance Awareness Month to launch the school year off with a strong start and build awareness of the importance of attendance. Join the schools and communities hosting events, launching contests or spreading the word by visiting our Attendance Awareness Month microsite.