In a letter to superintendents across California, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson urged school leaders to embrace our Call to Action with Attendance Works.

In the Oct. 4 letter, Torlakson wrote:

I would like to suggest a way that superintendents can boost student achievement and capture more state dollars for their districts. By tackling the problem of chronic absence in the early grades, we can improve academic success, bolster our struggling schools, and give every child an equal opportunity to learn.

California has a long and rich history of addressing truancy. We can build upon that important work by adding a focus on chronic absence. Unlike truancy, which is limited to unexcused absences, chronic absence occurs when a student is absent 10 percent or more of the total school days for any type of absence, including excused absences.

Twelve California superintendents are among the 35 who have signed the Call to Action so far. We hope other chief state school officers will follow Torlakson’s lead and encourage local superintendents from their own states to take advantage of this opportunity to sign on to our Call and use the on-line resources offered by Attendance Works.

We are also pleased to share that superintendents across the county are starting to use their positions and the media materials provided with the Call to Action to raise public awareness about the importance of regular attendance, starting in the early grades. New Britain Superintendent Kelt Cooper wrote an op-ed that ran in the local newspaper, as did Covington, KY, Superintendent Lynda Jackson and Oakland Schools Chief Tony Smith.