Presented by Dr. Jessica Huizenga, Independent Consultant ; Craig Vaughn, Superintendent, Springfield Township School District (NJ); and James Sanders, Product Marketing Manager, Unruly Studios
Presented by Rebecca Honig, Chief Content and Curriculum Officer, ParentPowered
Moderated by Mary Westervelt, Director of Marketing and Communications, ParentPowered
Chronic absenteeism—students missing 10 or more school days in a year—has been rising across the United States. A recent study by Panorama Education showed that absenteeism nearly doubled from 2018-19 to 2023-24. That means more students missing out not just on academic learning but also on opportunities to connect with teachers and peers, impacting their future. During the edLeader Panel “Improving Attendance: Levers Within Your District’s Locus of Control,” district leaders identified key strategies that have helped get students back in the classroom.
Presented by Dr. Jodi Nocero, Director, Pupil Services, Oxnard School District (CA); Tara Ramirez, Manager of Federal and State Grants, Oxnard School District (CA); Dr. Kelvin Roldán, Deputy Commissioner for System Transformation, Rhode Island Department of Education; and Douglas Coulter, Director of Data Science, Panorama Education
Moderated by Meagan Naboulsi, Account Manager, Panorama Education
During the edLeader Panel “Decreasing Absenteeism and Its Effects with Meaningful Strategies,” Brian Marques, Sr. Director of Opportunity Youth for Boston Public Schools (MA), Aspen Florence, Educational Consultant for the Utah State Board of Education, and Cecelia Leong, Vice President of Programs for Attendance Works, provided insights into leveraging Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and innovative approaches to understand and address chronic absenteeism and attendance barriers.
Presented by Brian Marques, Sr. Director of Opportunity Youth, Boston Public Schools (MA); Aspen Florence, Educational Consultant, Utah State Board of Education; Cecelia Leong, Vice President of Programs, Attendance Works; and Nicole DellaRocco, Senior Account Director, Panorama Education
Presented by Dwight Jones, Former Superintendent, Denver Public Schools (CO); Dr. Sandy Husk, Interim CEO and Executive Director, ASCD; Daniel Gohl, Former Chief Academic Officer, Broward County Public Schools (FL); and Anthony Salcito, Chief Institution Business Officer, Varsity Tutors
Students can’t learn if they’re not in school, but too often, administrators only pay attention when a student is chronically absent. And as schools reopen after a year away, it’s even more important that learners and their families feel wanted at school. During an edLeader Panel, sponsored by EveryDay Labs, the presenters shared why family communication is an important part of school attendance and how they make students and families feel welcome in the classroom.
Presented by Dr. Carletha Shaw-Rolle, Cadre Director CS 1, Broward County Public Schools (FL); Chelsea Montgomery, Executive Director, Office of Student Supports, Fulton County Schools (GA); and Dr. Erin Simon, Assistant Superintendent of School Support Services, Long Beach Unified School District (CA)
Even before COVID-19 created online, remote, and hybrid learning environments in school districts across the country, most district and school leaders struggled with chronic absenteeism in their schools. Researchers like Dr. Todd Rogers, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University and Chief Scientist at EveryDay Labs, have tirelessly worked with school districts to identify, develop and implement strategies to reduce absenteeism at scale.