FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

School attendance is improving for many Indiana students, according to recent state data. The number of Indiana children chronically absent last year was about 18 percent, which is an improvement from the previous school year. This marks the second consecutive year that Indiana has seen a modest reduction in the number of students missing significant amounts of school.

Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, an expert on absenteeism from Butler University, attributes the improvement to the state’s focus on school attendance. She noted that schools, the state, and parents are all playing crucial roles in addressing absenteeism.

Indiana schools have implemented various strategies to boost attendance, such as regularly notifying parents about their children’s absences and holding attendance conferences with families.