We’ve all seen the statistics regarding an alarming rise in chronic absence, especially at the middle and high school levels. Much was written in 2024 about possible remedies to the problem but despite this coverage, early data from the 2023-2024 school year showed only modest improvements. No single cause or simple solution can address the challenges we face in P-12 regarding chronic school absences. Nor can any single group or institution be to blame or resolve the issue. What is clear from the research is that the only path forward is for families, schools, and students to work together to build the necessary relationships that are fundamental to create meaningful and relevant solutions. 

The strength and bonds established between family-school partnerships has long been recognized as a key lever for change and impact. A recent Aspen Institute report highlights the ways in a school culture that fosters belonging and connection among students is strongly predictive of positive academic outcomes. However, researchers from the University of Missouri have noted that family-school engagement drops off sharply following elementary school. This decline in engagement has a variety of causes. Chief among them is the belief among many parenting adults and educators that parenting adults no longer need to be active in their children's learning following the transition to middle school.

Too often, secondary schools only connect with parents when there’s a problem, and parents only reach out to schools when they have concerns. The resulting lack of family/school communication can make it appear as if there are tensions between the two groups. However, multiple studies—including Search Institute’s survey of parents in 2023—show that the vast majority of parents deeply respect and value teachers. It’s just that parents and teachers don’t have strong relationships with one another which has become a barrier for dealing with chronic absence- when we need parents most as partners for creating a path forward for youth and adolescents.

When schools don’t know families, a first response to absenteeism is typically to find ways to hold families accountable. This may include increasing penalties that hurt both students and parents and accomplish little else.  It’s more effective and important to work together to create the kinds of communities where each and every young person–from the time they’re born until they are successfully launched into adulthood—are seen, heard, valued, and thriving. 

NCFL Research Advisory Council member and Howard University professor Dr. Ivory Toldson has written recently about the five factors that most contribute to student absence. Based on research with over 14,000 students and their families, Dr. Toldson’s data underscores the variety of challenges that today’s families face. The majority of these issues, including student health challenges, mental health concerns, and family socioeconomic struggles, were out-of-school problems that had major in-school impact.

Both of us know firsthand–myself (Ben) as a former family support specialist and adolescent counselor and my colleague, Felicia Smith as a former assistant superintendent and associate commissioner of education–that these challenges cannot be solved by schools alone. However, deep engagement between schools and families allows students and parenting adults to build the trust necessary to share these concerns while also giving schools and educators the chance to connect families to the community resources that can make a difference. By nurturing these partnerships, we can create relationships that become forces of good in schools, families, and communities, enabling each party to cultivate the actions necessary to promote school attendance and engage students and parenting adults differently with schools:

• Learning to care and want the best for the others; 
• Challenging others to grow and keep going, even when they encounter setbacks;
• Supporting others in achieving their goals;
• Sharing power so that each group is able to contribute to solution-making; and
• Opening up new possibilities for each other for the future.
  
  

A Search Institute review of recent research demonstrates that when families stay engaged in their child’s education through high school, the student is more likely to be motivated and engaged in learning, achieve better grades and test scores.

It’s clear that intentional effort on all sides–at home and at school–is necessary to move beyond simple communication to the authentic and substantive family/school partnerships that students need.

Transformation Through Collaboration

Search Institute is working with NCFL in a national collaboration to help build capacity within communities to partner with families and advance educational attainment and economic prosperity for all. Our collaborative efforts are designed to support community-based organizations, schools, and local policymakers to redesign experiences for children and families while improving access to services, building family leadership opportunities, and ensuring all families have access to the tools and relationships they need to thrive.

Partnering with Families is not Optional

Nurturing relationships between youth, parents, and schools are not optional; they are the essential element needed to reverse the growing problem of chronic absence and deepen the sense of community connection that so many students and families crave. Building these relationships represents a vital investment in young people across the country and requires all of us to step into new ways of being. The collaboration among our organizations aims to support school leaders and communities as whole to advance this work. Together, we can ensure that we’re creating the bonds that serve as the foundation of success for students everywhere.

Together for thriving youth.

This blog was written in collaboration with Dr. Felicia C. Smith, President and CEO of National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). NCFL has a 35-year history of partnering with educators, families, literacy advocates, and communities, to eradicate poverty through equitable solutions for families across multiple generations.