NEWS RELEASE: 2023�24 school year sees notable gains in student attendance
For Immediate Release
Contact: Janelle Taylor Garcia, Ph.D.
Director of Communications
New Mexico Public Education Department
505-709-5543
Janelle.garcia@ped.nm.gov
August 30, 2024
2023–24 school year sees notable gains in student attendance
SANTA FE, NM — Data for the 2023–24 school year reveals a significant drop in New Mexico's chronic absenteeism rate, which has decreased to 32.8%—a 6.42 percentage point reduction from the previous year.
“We will continue to build on this momentum to foster an environment where consistent attendance is the norm, not the exception,” said Public Education Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo.
This improved rate represents a 7.93 percentage point decrease from the highest reported chronic absenteeism rate of 40.73% in the 2021–2022 school year.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10% of school days in an academic year. Addressing chronic absenteeism is a priority for the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED).
The PED’s multifaceted approach to improving student attendance includes additional training and support for districts and charters, attendance conferences, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions for at-risk students.
The PED is currently promoting the 'Be Here NM' campaign to raise awareness about chronic absenteeism and remind students and families of the importance of school attendance. The campaign includes media outreach through billboards, print media, and social media; physical materials provided to schools to launch their own attendance campaigns; and the BeHereNM.org website, which offers resources for schools and families to support attendance efforts.
The 2024 New Mexico State Attendance Conference, hosted by the PED, will be held on October 28 in Albuquerque. The event will bring together over 400 school staff, professionals, and community members to collaborate on strategies for improving school attendance.
Since the enactment of the Attendance for Success Act in 2019, New Mexico has shifted from reporting habitual truancy to tracking chronic absenteeism, aligning with national best practices. This approach emphasizes support over punishment, reflecting a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment.
For more information about the conference, visit https://www.beherenm.org/conference /.
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The New Mexico Public Education Department partners with educators, communities and families to ensure that all students are healthy, secure in their identity and holistically prepared for college, career and life. Currently, NMPED serves about 320,000 students in 189 districts and charter schools. Find an abundance of resources for administrators, educators, families and students at New Mexico Public Education Department (state.nm.us) or follow the NMPED on Facebook and Instagram .
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