Chronic absenteeism has become one of the most urgent accountability challenges facing districts nationwide—and anxiety, depression, and school avoidance are driving much of it. Yet most attendance interventions weren't designed to address these invisible barriers.

Across the country, superintendents are realizing that mental health is the missing intervention in achieving district goals around attendance, engagement, and behavior. Districts that strategically integrate mental health supports are seeing measurable improvements in the accountability metrics that matter most—attendance rates, behavior incidents, and academic outcomes.

Join Cartwheel, education leaders, and chronic absenteeism experts for a candid conversation about:

• What's really driving school avoidance and why it requires a different approach than truancy
• The data on which mental health interventions move the needle on chronic absenteeism (and which don't)
• How innovative districts are operationalizing this work from funding models to MTSS integration to measuring clinical-to-academic outcomes

Why This Matters Now

Chronic absenteeism undermines every district priority. You can't close achievement gaps or meet accountability targets when students aren't consistently in school and with rates still elevated post-pandemic, the pressure to show progress has never been higher.

Whether you're developing new policy, allocating funds, or intensifying accountability measures, this session will give you evidence-based strategies that translate clinical interventions into measurable attendance and academic outcomes.

Meet the Panelists

Mary Skipper, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts: Superintendent Skipper leads the largest district in Massachusetts, where she has tackled one of the state's most challenging chronic absenteeism rates head-on. Under her leadership, Boston reduced chronic absenteeism from 42% in 2021-22 to 35% in 2022-23, with a 4-6% projected decrease in the most recent school year. Boston's strategy demonstrates how urban districts can make meaningful progress even in the most challenging environments.

Carl Felton, III, Policy Analyst, EdTrust: As a policy analyst, Carl leads work on social, emotional, and academic development, with a focus on chronic absenteeism, school climate, and school safety. He is the author of this recent report on how states can reduce chronic absenteeism. Carl's work centers on advancing equity for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds through policy analysis, advocacy, and collaboration with national, state, and district leaders. Prior to joining EdTrust, Carl worked in the office of Student Wholeness at Baltimore City Public Schools, most notably as a Coach for School Climate and Student Wholeness.

Jeremy Singer, Assistant Professor, Education Department, University of Michigan-Flint: Jeremy has studied the causes and consequences of chronic absenteeism and school-based strategies to improve student attendance. He is co-author of the book Rethinking Chronic Absenteeism: Why Schools Can't Solve It Alone.

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