Bright Spots

Ontario-Montclair USD: Using Technology to Advance Student Attendance

Ontario-Montclair Unified School District has strengthened its approach to attendance improvement through system-level changes that leverage technology while prioritizing relationships with students and families. By piloting an AI-supported attendance system to streamline family communication, identify student needs, and support earlier interventions, the district has strengthened school-level ownership and created more opportunities for staff to provide direct support. These efforts are reinforced by a districtwide commitment to attendance, with shared accountability, coordinated engagement strategies, and clear goals embedded in the district’s strategic plan.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE

Sonoma Valley High School: Making School a Place Students Want to Be

Sonoma Valley High School approached attendance improvement by addressing the broader challenges of school climate, trust, and student engagement rather than focusing solely on absences. Through student listening sessions, individualized family outreach, expanded wellness services, and collaboration across staff and community partners, the school has strengthened its ability to identify barriers, coordinate supports, and create a school environment where students feel a greater sense of belonging.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE

Vacaville High School: Improving Attendance Through Connection

Vacaville High School adopted a relationship-centered approach to attendance improvement, recognizing that attendance challenges often reflect broader barriers affecting students and families. By offering flexible family engagement opportunities, connecting families with essential resources, building meaningful relationships with supportive adults, and creating a welcoming school environment, the school has focused on fostering a sense of belonging and accountability through connection.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE

Compton USD’s Attendance Journey

Compton Unified School District’s attendance improvement reflects steady, intentional system building rather than a single tactic or short-term initiative. By treating attendance as a districtwide systems issue, the district aligned leadership expectations, data routines, family outreach, and student supports into a coherent strategy grounded in shared accountability and sustained attention over time.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE

Calipatria USD: A Home-Grown Approach to Attendance Improvement

Calipatria Unified School District shows how a small, rural system can build a comprehensive, home-grown approach to improving attendance grounded in relationships, community knowledge, and adaptability. By centering trust and shared responsibility, the district is shifting from compliance to connection and from one-size-fits-all approaches to locally driven strategies.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE

Empire School District: Attendance is the Priority

Empire Union School District demonstrates how making attendance a districtwide priority can result in substantial improvement. By centering its work on building relationships, celebrating success, and fostering shared ownership, the district shifted from tracking absences to understanding them, and from enforcing rules to strengthening relationships.

Audience: School and District Leadership Teams 

Source: West Comprehensive Center, Attendance Works, CA Department of Education, CCEE