Discover the latest attendance-related news in Virginia

In 2022–23, Menchville High School saw chronic absenteeism rates climb to 33.3% among their English Learner (EL) students. School leaders knew they needed to try something new—something that centered student voice and community.

When 62.5% of students at Carver College and Career Academy (Chesterfield County Public Schools, Virginia) were identified as chronically absent, the team knew something had to change. But instead of doubling down on punishment, they reimagined what it means to want to come to school.

Check out the winners of the first annual Attendance Innovation Awards and tune in on August 14 at 2 pm ET/11 am PT to hear directly from the educators at each of these districts and perhaps incorporate some of their winning strategies into your own attendance efforts in the 25-26 school year.

The VDOE put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2024 to find an official attendance improvement partner to further support at-risk students in divisions across Virginia. The team ultimately chose EveryDay Labs, not just for our proven expertise in supporting districts nationwide, but for our ongoing impact within Virginia, where we currently serve over 100,000 students, including Newport News City, Portsmouth Public Schools, Richmond Public Schools, and Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Read on for more details behind the partnership to get more Virginia students back on track for success.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) recently completed a Request for Proposal for an attendance solution that divisions across the state could count on for better attendance, and we were honored to be named the official VDOE-approved solution. What does this opportunity mean for your division? We’ve compiled some key points and virtual events to attend as you consider bringing on a partner in improving attendance for the 25-26 school year. 

If you're looking to transform attendance across your district, check out how our partners in Portsmouth Public Schools in Virginia reduced chronic absenteeism by nearly half through better data systems and optimized teamwork. Read on to hear from Dr. Angela Flowers, Director of Student Services at Portsmouth as she shares her team's journey and success.

In a country where every student not only has the right to a free public education, but is also required to attend regularly, it’s no wonder that education is always a hot topic in the political realm. But over the last couple years, culture war and school choice disagreements have taken precedence over an arguably more pressing issue: a startling amount of students are simply not showing up to school to begin with. In this post, we’ll explore how states have been working to understand the challenge, broadcast the importance of attendance, strategically invest in solutions, and effectively incentivize communities to make the shifts necessary for student success.