Three years ago, Newark schools were struggling with student attendance, where close to a third of the students were chronically absent and daily attendance was below 90%.

Since then, the district has seen dramatic improvement. The chronic absenteeism rate — defined as missing 10% or more of the year — dropped to just over 10% last year, while overall attendance climbed above 95%. District leaders said the gains are the result of intentional changes in policy and practice, including in how quickly schools contact families when a student isn’t in class.

“The original policy said you wait four days before contacting parents,” said Newark Superintendent Roger León. “We changed that. Now, on the first absence, we call — ‘Hey, how are you? Your child isn’t in school, what’s going on?’”

That early outreach is paying off. Last year, 44 of Newark’s 64 schools had attendance rates above 95%, with every school surpassing 90%. “It’s a really good sign of some strong attendance numbers that are indicative of why the chronic absenteeism rate is so low,” León said.

District officials point to research that shows stronger attendance is directly linked to better student performance.

“Students who come to school do far better than students who are absent,” León said. “Our graduation rate is the highest it’s ever been, and achievement in English language arts and math has risen beyond pre-pandemic levels.”

For families balancing responsibilities outside of school, Newark has also added flexibility. “If parents need to make adjustments — because of personal responsibilities, a doctor’s visit, or other things — students still have assignments to keep them engaged,” said Rochanda Jackson, the district’s director of policy and planning.

While Newark’s numbers are moving in the right direction, chronic absenteeism remains a statewide challenge.

“I’m sure every parent realizes deep down that school is important,” said Nina Peckman, a staff attorney with Advocates for Children of New Jersey’s KidLaw Resource Center. “But there are barriers for attendance for children in New Jersey, and parents don’t know where to turn.”

Peckman said schools and state leaders need to communicate more clearly with families about expectations and consequences.

“Working with community providers who are assisting families … schools need to do a better job communicating: what are the attendance rules, what are the consequences? Being absent for more than 10 days without an excuse — it’s truancy.”