On August 19, 2025, the California Department of Education (CDE) hosted a press conference at Williamson Elementary School in Folsom Cordova Unified to announce the release of the California Attendance Guide: Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Attendance and Engagement in California. This resource provides district, school, and county leaders with strategies and tools to reduce chronic absenteeism and strengthen student engagement.

The press conference brought together state and local leaders to spotlight the urgency of addressing chronic absence rates, which remain above pre-pandemic levels, and to highlight collaborative solutions. Speakers included Sujie Shin, Deputy Executive Director at CCEE and member of the Statewide Chronic Absenteeism Working Group, and Eric Swanson, Superintendent of Folsom Cordova Unified and former CCEE staff member.

Addressing California’s Attendance Crisis

Presenters: California Department of Education, Statewide Chronic Absenteeism Working Group

The guidance emphasizes that chronic absence in California doubled during the pandemic, peaking at 30 percent in 2021–22. Although rates have since dropped to 20.4 percent in 2023–24, over half of California schools still experience chronic absence rates above 20 percent. The guide sets an ambitious statewide goal: reduce chronic absence to 12.5 percent by 2030.
Why it matters: Chronic absence impacts academic performance, social–emotional development, and graduation rates. By naming both the challenge and the solution, this guidance provides a roadmap for schools and districts to take coordinated, data-driven action that prioritizes prevention, family engagement, and student connectedness.

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