Education officials outline plans to reduce chronic absenteeism by 20% by 2025

The Lakeside Union School District (LUSD) Governing Board meeting on April 5, 2025, focused on significant improvements in student attendance and ongoing initiatives to enhance educational engagement.

One of the key highlights was the district's ambitious goal to reduce the overall chronic absenteeism rate by 20% by 2025, with a targeted 25% reduction for students in the District Learning Network (DLN) Special Education program. The board acknowledged the hard work of staff members, including Dr. Taylor and Ms. Fernandez, who contributed to the district's recognition on an educational podcast for their efforts in improving attendance rates.

The district reported an 8% increase in outstanding attendance, attributed to various programs such as Saturday school and academic recovery sessions. These initiatives have successfully encouraged students to attend school more regularly, particularly those who previously struggled with attendance.

Additionally, the board discussed the implementation of attendance teams composed of students, which aim to identify peak absenteeism days and develop strategies to encourage attendance on those days. The district has already held six partnership and parent education events, with plans for more, including a family game night scheduled for April 3, which will feature games from around the world and food trucks to attract families to participate.

The meeting underscored the district's commitment to fostering a supportive educational environment and engaging families in the learning process, with ongoing efforts to maintain and improve attendance rates as a priority.