To address the significant challenge of chronic absenteeism and ensure students can fully benefit from targeted academic recovery efforts as well as the general benefits of being present in school, state education agencies (SEAs) have invested their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) state set-aside funds in initiatives that explicitly target student attendance and engagement, as well as initiatives that tackle the underlying root causes of chronic absenteeism, such as student health and wellbeing.
This report examines investment trends, state examples, promising practices and strategies from effective SEA efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism using ESSER state set-aside dollars. This examination is organized around four common SEA investment areas: data and early warning systems, reengagement of chronically absent students, family engagement and wraparound supports.
