Wake schools work to improve student attendance
Wake County Public School System is placing a stronger focus on improving student attendance this school year, using strategies that range from data analysis to daily efforts aimed at helping students feel connected to their schools.
At Kingswood Elementary School, mornings begin with music, dancing, cheering and high-fives as students arrive. School leaders say the welcoming atmosphere is part of a broader effort to create a sense of belonging that encourages students to attend school consistently.
The district recently created an Attendance Task Force following an evaluation by Attendance Works, an organization that reviewed how Wake County schools monitor attendance, respond to absences and support students and families. According to Kingswood school social worker and Attendance Task Force member Bobbi Hjelmhaug, the group has met once so far and is continuing to review recommendations and potential districtwide strategies.
Last school year, Wake County's chronic absenteeism rate was 17.8%, meaning thousands of students missed enough school days to potentially affect their academic progress and connection to the classroom. Hjelmhaug said the district's goal is for 95% of students to attend school at least 95% of the time.
"We need to do better," Hjelmhaug said. "We want better for kids and we want kids to graduate and we want success."
Educators say attendance remains a challenge nationwide following the COVID-19 pandemic. Hjelmhaug said attendance has gradually improved but has not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels.
She said data shows that even missing two days of school per month can have lasting consequences. Students who miss class can fall behind academically, lose confidence and miss opportunities to build relationships with classmates.
"It's fairly difficult on all of them," Hjelmhaug said. "When a student misses even two days a month, they can get behind."
District leaders are also emphasizing engagement with families. At Kingswood, staff members greet students outside each morning, and the school has introduced positive phone calls home at the beginning of the school year to help build relationships with families before problems arise.
Hjelmhaug said younger students face some of the highest absenteeism rates. While North Carolina law requires children between ages 7 and 16 to attend school, she said attendance is especially important in preschool and elementary grades because students are developing foundational academic and social skills.
"Getting some of that education out to families so they can understand, like I said, education's moving so fast, so even more so now than 20 years ago. Those foundational grades are huge. Even for social skills, learning like structure and how to be appropriate socially is huge for kids. And we want them to be successful, not just academically, but like confidence and all that," Hjelmhaug said.
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For Kingswood parent Janelle Mayfield, attendance is a priority at home. Her son, Zaire, is a first-grade student who has attended Kingswood since prekindergarten.
"My husband and I try to... I would say empower our son to understand that school is a beautiful thing," Mayfield said during an interview. "It can be hard work, but it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to be immersed in your community as you get older."
Mayfield said her family plans vacations around the school calendar and works to keep attendance a consistent priority.
Every morning, Mayfield said, her son shares a positive affirmation before getting on the bus
"I love that he comes up with...by himself in every single morning," Mayfield said. "He's going to say, I love my school. And I think that's really, really important. I know that he feels seen and he feels heard. So getting up in the morning is easy."
She said the positive environment at Kingswood, including the music and greetings students receive each morning, helps create enthusiasm for school.
"Kids being seen being greeted like that kicks off the day for them," Mayfield said. "They're probably going to have a great rest of the day, potentially great rest of the week."
The district's attendance policy requires families to provide a written or digital note within two days of a student's return following an absence. Excused absences include illness or injury, a death in the family, health care appointments, court appearances, religious observances, natural disasters and approved educational opportunities.
The district also states that if a student accumulates three unexcused absences, school staff will contact the family to discuss ways to support regular attendance.
As the new Attendance Task Force continues its work, district leaders say the goal is not only to address absences but also to build school communities where students feel welcomed, connected and motivated to attend every day.
