East Cleveland City School District's commitment to attendance has been nothing shy of transformative, as the district's revamped approach has generated a sense of excitement among students to commit to each day and put forth their strongest effort. Serving as a core component to the district's revitalization and recovery plan, attendance is viewed as a means of connecting learners to quality instruction – ultimately preparing them for future success.

Being intentional about educating parents and caregivers on the impacts of attendance has proven to be a game changer for their overall strategy. Understanding that strong attendance is truly a team effort, the district works to ensure families are equipped with resources to assist their student. For instance, daily student attendance is accessible to families, providing an excellent tool in making attendance a household priority. Additionally, the district introduced individualized phone calls and postcards detailing student absences and missed instruction. 

At the helm of East Cleveland's attendance intervention strategy is student empowerment. When a student improves their attendance record and classroom confidence, academic gains inevitably follow. Incorporating milestone celebrations such as Cleveland Browns autograph giveaways and surprise visits from Chomps, district schools have seen an uptick in attendance-related pride and peer encouragement between students to make every instructional day count. Through acknowledging each individual's accomplishments and growth, students are reminded that they belong and should always feel welcomed.  

Please join us in celebrating East Cleveland City Schools for their commitment to strong attendance and student achievement.

Want to learn how you can make school attendance a priority in your community? Visit Get2School.org, check out the online resources and take the attendance pledge!