Date
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
Location Name
RL 23: Power School
Name
Every Day Counts: Using MTSS to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
Description

Chronic absenteeism remains one of the clearest indicators of student need across Massachusetts. In 2024-25, 18.8% of Massachusetts students were chronically absent, meaning nearly one in five students missed at least 10% of the school year. While attendance rates are improving, chronic absenteeism continues to affect student achievement, engagement, and long-term outcomes. This session will explore how districts can move beyond attendance tracking by connecting attendance data with academic performance, behavior, engagement, intervention participation, and other student indicators to create a more complete picture of student needs. We'll examine practical strategies for bringing together multiple data sources to support MTSS and whole-child student success efforts, enabling teams to make more informed decisions and monitor the effectiveness of interventions over time. Attendees will leave with a framework for viewing attendance as part of a broader student support ecosystem, helping districts move from simply knowing who is absent to understanding why students are disengaging, determining what supports are needed, and evaluating whether those supports are making a difference.

Session Type
Vendor-Sponsored Session
Track
Home to School Connection
Primary Audience
School and District Leadership
Secondary Audience
Principals
Fall Conference Strands
Connect
MA DLCS Strands
Digital Tools and Collaboration