This article is adapted from the RAISE Network’s Foundational Practices to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism. Receive more resources for addressing chronic absenteeism in your school by signing up for the RAISE Roundup Newsletter.
This is a quick guide for school and district leaders who want to strengthen student attendance, connection, and belonging from the start of the school year.
When communicating with the family of a frequently absent student, there is one obvious goal: to get the student to come to school. That is, you are seeking “compliance.”
However, that’s not the only goal: You also want families to know that people notice when their child isn’t in school, that they care about the child’s success and value their contributions as a member of the school community. That is to say, you are also seeking “connection.”
The 70 schools in the RAISE Network have found that they get dramatically better results by focusing on “connection” instead of “compliance. This means that rather than treating attendance primarily as a set of rules to enforce, schools view it as a signal of connection—and absenteeism as a signal of disconnection. In the first year of practicing this technique, the schools in the RAISE Network saw chronic absenteeism drop by an average of 6.1 points, with ten schools cutting their chronic absenteeism rates in half.
| Compliance Mindset | Connection Mindset |
| “Why aren’t they here?” | “What’s getting in the way?” |
| Letters, calls, and meetings escalate toward consequences | Letters, calls, and meetings build toward understanding |
| Attendance is the student/family’s responsibility | Attendance is a shared responsibility across the system |
| Families are informed | Families are partners |
It’s one thing to decide as a staff to focus on connection over compliance; it’s quite another to convince families. These five steps can help bridge the gap between intentions and effects.
Consider these examples to better understand the difference between compliance-focused and connection-focused messages.
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| “Your child has accumulated 3 unexcused absences. Continued non-attendance may result in a referral to the district.” | “Hi Maya — we missed you today and hope everything is okay at home. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can support you in any way.” |
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| “We contact families when a student reaches five or more absences in a semester.” | “You’ll always hear from us the same day your child is absent — a quick text before noon, and a call if we haven’t connected by 3 pm.” |
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| “This is an automated message from Westview Middle School. Your child was absent today.” | “We’d love to hear how Jaylen is doing — you can text back here, call Ms. Rivera directly at ext. 204, or reply to this email. We’ll follow up if we don’t hear from you.” |
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| “Please ensure your child attends school regularly. Absences must be excused within 48 hours.” | “We want to make sure Carlos doesn’t fall behind. His teacher Ms. Park can schedule a check-in, and our counselor can help if there’s anything bigger going on. Just say the word.” |
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| Dear Parent or Guardian,
This letter is to notify you that your child, Tommy, has been absent from Canyon View High School on [X] days during the [Year] school year, resulting in an attendance rate of [X]%. Per California Education Code §48260, a pupil who is absent from school without a valid excuse on three (3) full days, or tardy or absent for more than thirty (30) minutes on three (3) occasions, is considered truant. Your child’s attendance currently falls into the following category: ☐ Satisfactory ☐ Unsatisfactory — Letter 1 (5–9% absences) ☐ Chronic — Letter 2 (10%+ absences; SARB referral may follow) Continued unexcused absences will result in escalating notifications and may result in a referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), the District Attorney’s Office, and/or fines of up to $500 per Education Code §48293. Compulsory school attendance is required by law. If you have questions, contact the Attendance Office during regular business hours. Sincerely, Danielle Ortiz, Principal Canyon View High School | [Phone] |
Dear Monroes,
We’re glad Tommy is part of our school community this year. We’re writing to share what we’re seeing on our end — and to learn from what you’re seeing on yours. What we’re noticing. So far, Tommy has been here [X] days and missed [X]. If on track: “He is showing up consistently — thank you for being a partner in that.” If approaching: “We’re starting to miss him, and we want to understand why before more days slip by.” Why being here matters — for your child specifically. When Tommy is here, he is part of [the morning routines that make sixth grade feel manageable / a class where students count on each other / the friendships that grow day by day]. Showing up isn’t just about lessons — it’s about belonging, connection, and confidence built one day at a time. You know your child better than we do. We’d love to hear:
How to reach us. Ms. Rivera, our site manager, is here to listen, problem-solve, and connect you with resources. Text, call, email, or stop by — whatever’s easiest. [phone] · [email] Thank you for partnering with us in Tommy’s learning. With care, Danielle Ortiz, Principal |
| Before Audit (compliance-focused) | After Audit (connection-focused) |
| Cold absence call
“Hello, this is the attendance office at Canyon View High School. We are calling to inform you that Tommy Marks was marked absent today. Per California Education Code, absences must be excused within 48 hours. Please call us back at [Number] and provide a valid reason for the absence. Continued unexcused absences may result in a referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). Thank you.” |
Warm check-in call — six-step script
1. Introduction “Hi, this is Desmond, calling from Canyon View High School. I’m reaching out because Tommy isn’t in school with us today, and we wanted to check in.” 2. Express Care “We miss him and want to make sure everything is okay.” 3. Ask & Listen “Is Tommy all right? Can you share what’s going on today?” — then pause and listen fully before responding. 4. Offer Support “Is there anything we can do to help? We want to make sure Tommy can be back as soon as possible.” If the absence is due to an illness, share “when to return” guidance. 5. Acknowledge & Invite “Thank you for letting me know. If you have any questions, or if anything else comes up, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. The best way to reach me is [phone/email].” 6. Warm Close “We hope Tommy feels better soon/has a safe trip. We’ll look forward to seeing him back soon!” |
