Colorado schools struggle with attendance, but Thornton program is turning things around
More than one in four students in Colorado is chronically absent from school. That means they're missing 10% or more of the school year. New data released by the state shows nearly four in 10 Latino students are chronically absent, 10% above the state.
A school in Thornton is sharpening its focus on student attendance. York International School, a K–12 public school with about 800 students, has a goal of 95% daily attendance and a mission to slash chronic absenteeism.
"We are going to continue to focus on building relationships, making sure students feel a sense of belonging at our school," said Ben Schneider, York International Assistant Principal.
To do that, York uses advisories and direct outreach through its Attendance Refocus Program. The system flags absences so staff can call or email families right away.
"Students and parents have to know that coming to class matters. We see our on-time attendance improve because of that program, and we see students' attitudes shift."
Nicholas Martinez, executive director of the nonprofit Transform Education Now, says classroom engagement is just as pivotal as addressing barriers such as transportation.
"I think families and students want an education that prepares them for a life full of opportunities. We also have to talk about when students do show up, because right now, based on CMAS results, it's not good enough."
While state test scores show students are performing at or above pre-pandemic levels in most grades and subjects, fewer than half of public school students are meeting state grade-level expectations.
"When we see schools that give young people some agency over how they learn and what they learn, we see kids thrive."
York says strong relationships and proactive outreach are making a difference.
"Just that there's a response, and students know somebody is paying attention. [It] makes a big difference," said Schneider.
In 2024, the state launched the 'Every School Day Matters' attendance campaign. Commissioner Susana Córdova says the goal is to cut chronic absenteeism in half within five years. Schools or districts that join the challenge will be highlighted on the CDE website, have access to resources to help communicate about attendance and receive tools and support to analyze data.
