Promoting school attendance is the agenda for two regional meetings this month sponsored by Count ME In.
Chronic absenteeism – defined as missing 10 percent of the school year – increases achievement gaps and decreases student outcomes. The regional forums are an opportunity to learn about national and state strategies on increasing student attendance and student learning.
The regional meetings will take place Wednesday, March 25 at Unum from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and Thursday, March 31 at Lewiston Public Schools Central Office 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The meetings are free but advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Susan Lieberman at slieberman@countmeinmaine.org.
Count ME In is a partnership of Maine schools, businesses, parents, youth, state and community organizations working to improve student attendance, engagement and academic achievement through data driven strategies so all children can learn and succeed. Its website, www.countmeinmaine.org, provides free resources for promoting the importance of showing up to school, including templates, fact sheets and checklists.
Student attendance data for all Maine schools is available in the Maine DOE’s public Data Warehouse and can be found in the Data Tables section.