Oregon Plans Quicker Attendance Reports to Curb Chronic Absences

Oregon is set to change how it shares school attendance data, moving from an annual update to quarterly releases. The state’s Department of Education will begin publishing the figures each quarter, a move that lawmakers say could help spot and fix attendance problems faster. The change follows the passage of House Bill 4154, introduced by the late Rep. Hòa Nguyễn and now championed by Rep. Lamar Wise. The bill allows the state to publish data on student attendance more often, giving districts a chance to act sooner when patterns of absenteeism appear. Currently, the Department sends attendance data to its agency four times a year so that funding formulas can be adjusted. However, public reports lag behind by several months. The new quarterly schedule would bring the data closer to real‑time, enabling quicker interventions for students who miss a lot of school. Chronic absenteeism—missing 17 or more days in an academic year—is a serious problem. In Oregon, nearly 34 percent of students fall into this category, compared with a national average of about 22 percent. Students who miss many days are more likely to struggle with reading, earn insufficient credits for graduation and ultimately leave the school system early.Other states such as Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts have adopted similar reporting practices after the pandemic spike in absences. Their rates of chronic absenteeism have dropped significantly since then, suggesting that more frequent data sharing can be effective. Some Oregon schools are already taking proactive steps without waiting for state policy changes. At Grant High School in Northeast Portland, Principal James McGee introduced a system that lets students see their attendance on the Canvas platform. When a student’s attendance dips below 90 percent, an email warns the student and family that they may lose access to school events unless they make up the missing time. The school also offers ways for students to earn back missed minutes: after‑school tutoring, extra class time during flexible blocks and even detention sessions. McGee says the transparent system has raised attendance by 10 percent so far this year, with improvements seen across all student groups. Other local schools are following Grant’s example, adding similar tools to their own programs. “When you set clear expectations and give students the support they need, they often rise to the challenge, ” McGee notes. The new quarterly reporting bill has cleared the House and is now pending a Senate vote before it reaches the governor’s desk. If passed, Oregon would join a growing list of states using timely data to fight chronic absenteeism and help students stay connected to their education.