Name: A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Start: 2025-04-09T14:00:00ZEDT
End: 2025-04-09T15:00:00ZEDT

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Absenteeism rates have “exploded,” according to one Northern California superintendent. And the data backs this up. The average absentee rate for districts with more than 1,500 students is 25 percent, according to a recent study from AEI.

How can educators keep students engaged? What can school and district leaders do to stem the rising tide of disengagement affecting their relationships with students and their families? And what resources and levers are available to K-12 leaders and educators to reverse this concerning trend?

Peter DeWitt will be joined by a researcher and practitioners. 

Sharon Bradley

Director, Student, Family, and Community Services Plano Independent School District

Sharon Bradley is a national educational consultant, speaker, and school district director who has played a pivotal role in shaping her district’s approach to social emotional development and truancy prevention for all students. She is the author of the National Professional Resource attendance reference guides Chronic Absenteeism: Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Schools, Families, and Communities and Combating Chronic Absenteeism through Attendance Improvement Plans. In 2024, she was one of Education Week’s Leaders to Learn From. In 2023, she was named “Person of the Year” by the International Truancy and Dropout Prevention Association.

Lesleigh Dye

Director of Education District School Board Ontario North East, Canada

Lesleigh Dye is the director of education of District School Board Ontario North East in Ontario, Canada, where she has served for 8 years. She is the chair of the Council of Ontario Directors of Education which represents all 73 publicly funded school districts across the province. Previously she was a teacher, vice-principal, principal, system principal, and superintendent in several districts, including Ottawa and Toronto. Lesleigh is a Ph.D. candidate studying whether there is a link between improving collective leader efficacy and student attendance.

Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty

Co-Founder, International Network for School Attendance, Professor and Founding Dean of the Founders College, Butler University

Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty has been studying the field of attendance and absenteeism for more than two decades. She co-founded the International Network for School Attendance, which now includes more than 20 participating countries worldwide. She has served as a president for the International Association for Truancy and Dropout. In Indiana, she works closely with the state district attendance officer and school districts and has been called to testify and consult on legislation, practices, standards, and policies. She is currently a professor and founding dean of the Founders College at Butler University.

Peter DeWitt

Opinion Contributor, Education Week

A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and leadership coach, Peter DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He pens an opinion blog for Education Week, Finding Common Ground and is the host of A Seat at the Table.

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A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum

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