ODE debuts ‘Every Day Matters’ campaign targeting chronic absenteeism
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
The Oregon Department of Education launched a new campaign website and toolkits Tuesday designed to help reduce chronic absenteeism. The website, www.Every-Day-Matters.org, highlights the importance of regular student attendance and promotes community engagement with local school districts.
The campaign is designed to lift Oregon graduation rates, which at 77 percent stand among the lowest in the nation.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as when a student misses 10 percent or more of class days in a school year. ODE research confirms national studies showing connections between attendance and student outcomes, including improved test scores and graduation rates.
“We know that every day a student attends school means an additional opportunity for learning,” Colt Gill, Oregon’s deputy superintendent of public instruction, said in a prepared statement.