LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- New data reveals fewer JCPS students have been chronically absent this year than last year, and the district is continuing its efforts to get more kids to school.
"Obviously, we want that number to be zero," Dr. Matt Anderson, JCPS's Assistant Superintendent of Culture and Climate, said. "We want kids there every day. That number is lower than it would've been yesterday, and we're seeing progress, so we're trying to focus on that."
Roughly 27,000 JCPS students have been chronically absent this year. While that is a high number, school leaders say it's down 4,000 kids from last school year.
The district says students can't learn if they’re not in school. That’s why officials are happy to see more kids in the classroom.
Through the end of December 2024, 28.4% of JCPS students have been chronically absent. That’s down about 5.5% from the previous year.Â
While that may not sound like a lot, it’s the equivalent of about 4,000 fewer students than the same period during the previous school year.Â
Pictured: a screen shot of a text message sent to the parent of a JCPS student about the student's attendance. (Jefferson County Public Schools)
"We're not done," Anderson said. "We don't think this is it. We want to continue to reduce that number."
Students are labeled chronically absent if they miss more than two days per month, or 18 days per school year.
Kentucky law changed in 2024 to now require school districts to refer students who have 15 or more unexcused absences to the County Attorney’s office. As of January 15, 2025, JCPS has reported:
- Elementary school students: 655
- Middle school students: 1,152
- High school students: 2,380
To help parents stay on top of the issue, JCPS has sent more than 2.3 million emails and texts to JCPS parent or guardians this year. Those help track of student attendance records and absences.Â
The district also has a designated attendance team to call the parents of students who are on the verge of missing too much school. Team members even make home visits.
The attendance team also connects families with resources like transportation, food, clothing and health services to eliminate barriers that might be keeping students from getting to school.
At Tuesday's meeting, District 5 board member Linda Duncan brought up the attendance rates of students who currently receive transportation stipends. Their attendance this year is 95.8% compared to 92.1% for the 2023-2024 school year.
"That's a sizable, significant impact," Duncan said. "They only get the stipend if the student's at school, so it's great to see that has helped that."
Despite the stipends and attendance team, there are still many barriers for students moving forward.
"You have sense of belonging," Anderson listed. "You have poverty. We're also in flu season right now."
The district says the threat of deportations may also scare some immigrant students and impact the attendance data that comes out this time next year.
"We have seen, just like all our other demographics, a decrease in our multi-language learner chronic absenteeism," Anderson said. "Obviously, that's something that's on our radar. We're going to continue to monitor that, knowing the context that we're in now."
Anderson said the best way to overcome these obstacles is to communicate with the district.
"It’s tough to be a parent," Anderson said. "We understand that, but very quickly, those days can add up."
Related Coverage:
- JCPS to restore 60 bus routes, give families new options after challenging year
- Transportation to be restored for select JCPS students before end of school year
- Pollio says JCPS could bring back bus routes for some magnet, traditional students in March
- JCPS to consider restoring some transportation, some families say it's too late
- JCPS budgeted $12.6M to pay parents for transportation this school year
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