September marks Attendance Awareness Month, and for me, it’s a moment to pause and reflect on one of the most fundamental truths in education: students can only benefit from the opportunities we provide if they are in school to experience them.
Since we resumed in person instruction after COVID, school districts across California have grappled with rising chronic absenteeism. The pandemic amplified barriers that families already faced, from transportation and health challenges to housing instability. But the good news is that we are turning the tide.
Here in Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD), we’ve made real progress. Our chronic absenteeism rate has dropped from 23.5 percent to 14.5 percent in just three years. This didn’t happen by chance. It happened because teachers, principals, staff, and families came together with a simple but powerful message: every day counts.
That message was underscored in a powerful way last month when we welcomed State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond to Williamson Elementary in Rancho Cordova. Superintendent Thurmond chose our district to help launch the new California Attendance Guide because of the strides we’ve made and the example we’re setting for other districts in the state. He reminded us that attendance isn’t just about compliance with a rule but rather, it’s about connection. Each absence represents a missed opportunity for a student to engage, to learn, to grow.
At Folsom Cordova, we’ve embraced that philosophy. We don’t treat absences as statistics. We treat them as signals. Was the student sick? Did a family lose housing? Did transportation fall through? Each answer requires a human response, and our staff step up every day to make those connections.
Our approach has been strengthened by Community Schools funding, which allows us to build deeper partnerships with families and community organizations. We’ve been recognized with the Model School Attendance Review Board Award for our focus on early intervention, collaboration, and restorative practices. And most importantly, our students are showing up. Not just in attendance records, but in classrooms, performances, competitions, and community projects that enrich us all.
But our work is far from done. The state has set an ambitious goal: cutting chronic absenteeism by 50 percent over the next five years. I believe Folsom Cordova can lead the way, and I also believe our story can serve as a model for others.
This September, I invite our families, students, and community members to join us in recommitting to the idea that school is where opportunity begins. When students are in class, they not only learn academics, they discover their passions, build friendships, and set the foundation to chase their dreams.
Attendance is more than a number. It’s a bridge to opportunity. And together, we are making that bridge stronger every day.
Erik Swanson authored this article and is the Superintendent of the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.
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