Thank you for taking part in United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties Attendance Matters® Mentoring Program!
One daily habit can set a student up for success for years to come: Showing up at school in person as often as possible.
The goal of the Attendance Matters® Toolkit is to help increase regular school attendance at all schools in Benton & Franklin Counties. Students who regularly attend school are more likely to read at grade-level, achieve in middle school, and graduate from high school.
Local school districts and schools may add their logo to flyers and social media graphics; just be sure to tag us on social media.
Please email Asta Bonheyo to receive emails letting you know when new materials have been added to the toolkit, or with any questions. Please also feel free to share best practices from your school to promote attendance that we can share with others.
Helpful Websites:
Attendance Works: A national nonprofit focused on reducing chronic absenteeism
OSPI Attendance Page: Information on attendance, absenteeism, and truancy from the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Research:
June 2026: Analysis of 2024-2025 school year chronic absence data from 31 states, by Attendance Works and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University. Most states still have more schools with either high or extreme levels of chronic absence than they did prior to the pandemic.
March 2026: Researchers at the USC Ed Policy Hub examine factors contributing to persistently high chronic absence. The analysis offers useful context for schools, districts and partners working to improve attendance:
2026: The University of Oregon’s HEDCO Institute research review finds that implementing school-based interventions can lead to reduced chronic absence. Promising approaches include family messaging, whole-school reforms, mentoring, family engagement and stronger data systems.
Promising approaches for reducing student chronic absenteeism (uoregon.edu)
Meet Your Attendance Matters® Support Team
