Reversing Chronic Absenteeism
June 01, 2025
Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic widened achievement gaps that existed before the pandemic. As with all school divisions in Virginia, Louisa County Public Schools, located in a rural county in the center of the state, was tasked with addressing an increase in chronic absenteeism, especially among economically disadvantaged students.
The pandemic forced Virginia鈥檚 school divisions to go into survival mode as we encouraged students who were feeling ill to stay home. As we have moved past the pandemic, we continue to urge students to stay home if they display symptoms of any illness, yet we still want our students and families to recognize the importance of good attendance.
The chronic absenteeism rates for the system鈥檚 5,200 students during the 2021-22 school year were:
All students: 34 percent
Economically disadvantaged: 38.8 percent
Non-economically disadvantaged: 27.4 percent
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This essay is part of a series called "Winning Ideas from Winning Superintendents." To view the other essays in the series, visit the June publication page.
As a central part of the applications for the National Superintendent of the Year program that 萝卜AV视频manages annually, every state-level nominee is required to complete a series of four essays. The prompts require each superintendent to draw on the totality of their experiences over time to capture in words their leadership for learning philosophy and accomplishments, public communication skills, community involvement and professionalism.
Each of the submitted essays, running 1,000 words or less, captures the sharp thinking and meritorious actions taken by those leaders or the school systems they oversee.
In the pages that follow, we鈥檝e dubbed them 鈥渨inning ideas鈥� from 18 of the 49 state-level honorees in 2025 (Hawaii does not have a state applicant) in the National Superintendent of the Year program.
鈥� Jay P. Goldman
Full Roster of State Honorees:鈥俆he limitations of space prevent us from featuring every educator recognized in the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year program. A complete roster of each state鈥檚 award winner, along with their biographies and photos, can be found on the .
PRACTICAL TIDBIT
Parental Outreach
To foster stronger relationships with parents, we鈥檝e introduced a 鈥渃elebration鈥� challenge for our principals, encouraging them to reach out to parents with positive news about their children. This proactive communication has shifted the narrative, reducing the anxiety often associated with school calls. The result has been a marked increase in parent-teacher conference attendance and overall parental engagement. Building trust between families and the school is essential for creating a supportive community, and these efforts have helped nurture that trust.
Throughout these essays, we鈥檝e included 鈥淧ractical Tidbits.鈥� These are brief excerpts from the applications of several 2025 National Superintendent of the Year candidates sharing their ideas about various school district operations and challenges. The excerpts have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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