Date &amp; Time: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 2 p.m. <br><br> In this first installment of Mission: Attendance, you'll learn how to create a consistent approach to improving attendance. Dr. Marcy Burroughs, the Superintendent at the Sumter County Public School District in Alabama, will join to share how her district has reduced chronic absenteeism through a shared Attendance Manual, a codified approach to family engagement, and uniform reporting across school sites. You'll leave with a blueprint you can start using in your own district tomorrow.

Attendance is a question of belonging: Students come because their friends are there, a teacher knows their name and someone is glad to see them.

Nearly a quarter of U.S. children did not show up for school regularly in 2025, a slight decline from the previous year but still up from about 15 percent before COVID.