A thought on attendance and student connection

Published 7 months ago • 2 min read

November 06, 2026

Hi Reader

I’d like to share something with you through the BE Podcast Network that’s been coming up often in my conversations with school and district leaders.

One question keeps circling back. How can schools reduce chronic absenteeism in a way that helps students feel connected, supported, and eager to come to school?

I’ve been paying close attention to the work Playworks is doing in this area, especially as more schools look for practical ways to improve attendance. Their approach focuses on something simple but often overlooked: how students experience the school day.

In a recent UC Berkeley study of Title I schools, Playworks programming was associated with significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to similar schools without it.

If this is something your team is working on, you can take a closer look here:

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In schools with Playworks programming, schools experience:

Lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to similar schools
Stronger relationships between students and adults
Fewer behavior issues during and after recess
Smoother transitions back to learning, reclaiming instructional time

I saw these outcomes firsthand in my Title I school. My hope in sharing this is that it gives you a clearer sense of what is possible when schools focus on how students experience their day.

Because when students feel they belong, school becomes a place they want to be.

Best,
Jethro

Jethro Jones

Founder, BE Podcast Network

Education and leadership nerd, and founder of Transformative Principal. You might know me from my latest books, How to be a Transformative Principal and SchoolX, and the longest running ed leadership podcast, Transformative Principal.

PO Box 30161, Spokane, WA 99223
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