In the first two months of the 2024-2025 school year, sisters Amber and Danielle* had missed 14 days of school. Creative City Public Charter School (Creative City) social worker Michelle O’Connell frequently counsels students in this situation.
The sisters’ circumstance is, unfortunately, not uncommon following the COVID-19 pandemic. While chronic absenteeism is a national problem, Baltimore City Public Schools is tackling attendance intentionally with energy, commitment, and unwavering support for students and families.
Creative City has developed a multi-tiered strategic plan to ensure that students are prepared and eager to come to school. It begins with “engaging with kids and parents every day and
understanding the barriers that students face to come to school,” explains Ms. O’Connell.
Every day, members of an attendance team reach out to the families of absent students to understand the possible reason for the absence and to offer encouragement and support. When a student is absent for an extended period, school staff may visit the family at home to offer additional help.
The plan is driving attendance gains in schools across the district: daily attendance at Creative City has increased to 91% so far this school year. Children who have 95% or better perfect attendance during a month are rewarded with special activities, such as a dance or karaoke party, or extra recess.
At James McHenry Elementary/Middle School (McHenry) in West Baltimore, chronic absenteeism has declined from 64% in the 2020-2021 school year to 40% in 2024-2025. The school won Mayor Brandon Scott’s Attendance Award Challenge for three consecutive quarters last year, as the Challenge honors schools making the most progress in improving attendance.
“We want to help eliminate the barriers that many families face in getting their children to school,” says McHenry principal Denita Plain. “At the start of the school year, we provide uniforms and supplies to children so they feel—and are—prepared to come to school.”
“Attendance All Stars” at James McHenry, who are present every day in a month, also enjoy fun incentives: a “popcorn and pajama” party, a cocoa and cookies event, and field trips to local amusements. Two-thirds of the school’s students have participated in at least one of these monthly activities this year.
“Children begin holding parents accountable,” notes Principal Plain. “Celebrating the children and
making sure they’re seen, supported, and loved makes them feel safe and gives them a reason to come to school.”
Principal Plain acknowledges that "attendance is hard work. A lot of the factors are out of our control. But we’re changing the narrative and creating an environment where children want to be here every day.”
Creating that welcoming, encouraging environment is central to City Schools' Portrait of a Graduate, with a focus on climate and culture that provides a supportive, nurturing environment where students can learn and thrive. Attendance is critical to student success, and the district actively supports schools in their capacities to implement systems and structures for reducing chronic absences.
Strategies include identifying the most common attendance concerns within the school and aligning resources to address the root causes of a student's absenteeism. Developing incentives at the school, grade, classroom, and/or student level further encourages and celebrates the leaps and bounds families are making.
City Schools’ chronically absent rate is decreasing across all grade levels, and the attendance rate for grades pre-k through 12 continues to increase; it is currently at 90%.
*Student names have been changed for privacy