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County Office of Education Guidance

From the California Attendance Guide, county office of education (COE) best practices and lessons learned about reducing chronic absenteeism.

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How Can County Offices of Education Help to Improve Attendance and Engagement?

As part of California’s System of Support for districts and charter schools, county offices of education (COEs) can play a crucial role in addressing chronic absenteeism by partnering with local school districts and community agencies to implement interventions and support students. COEs can support districts in using data to identify attendance issues and deliver early interventions aligned with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework (California Education Code Section 48240). Research shows that improving communication with families—particularly around the benefits of attendance and consequences of absenteeism—can significantly influence attendance behavior, especially when messaging is culturally relevant and focused on relationships rather than punishment (Attendance Works 2022; Ad Council Research Institute 2023). Below are examples of key roles that COEs may play in maximizing student attendance and engagement:

1. Data Collection and Reporting

  • COEs can support local educational agencies (LEAs) in building real-time data systems that allow access to actionable reports on attendance, truancy, and chronic absence. For example, the Coordinated District Support – Attendance and Engagement guide from the Butte County Office of Education External link opens in new window or tab. provides strategies for improving student attendance, and the DataZone dashboard from the Santa Clara County Office of Education External link opens in new window or tab. includes chronic absence indicators to help districts monitor student attendance patterns. Effective systems can identify students missing 5–9 percent of school days—just under the chronic absence threshold—to enable early intervention (Attendance Works 2022).
  • In alignment with the responsibilities of attendance supervisors outlined in California Education Code, COEs may also assist districts in analyzing how attendance impacts outcomes such as student achievement or graduation rates, and in evaluating the return on investment of interventions based on student participation and attendance data (California Education Code Section 48240).

2. Technical Assistance

  • COEs can provide a range of technical assistance to districts and schools. COEs can assist districts and schools in integrating attendance into existing program structures such as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), or Social–Emotional Learning (SEL). Rather than operating in silos, integrating these efforts at the district and school levels may help harness the strengths of each approach. (California MTSS resources on Connecting the Dots External link opens in new window or tab.). Research by UC Berkeley External link opens in new window or tab. documents the positive impact of SEL on lowering chronic absence in Title I schools. Similarly, PBIS may lower rates of chronic absence External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF) when implemented with fidelity.
  • COEs can provide training and resources to district and school staff on how to create positive learning environments that may help motivate student attendance and support family and community engagement. COEs can play a central role in leading and disseminating state education initiatives, all of which may help create positive learning environments that may improve attendance. For example, COEs can lead and provide technical assistance on social–emotional learning (see CalHOPE Community of Practice External link opens in new window or tab.); Community Schools (see Regional Transformational Assistance Centers External link opens in new window or tab. (Login Required); Expanded Learning (see System of Support for Expanded Learning); and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (See Orange County Department of Education CA MTSS External link opens in new window or tab.)
  • COEs can provide training and resources to district and school staff on how to address particular attendance issues, such as providing information on social–emotional programs and community schools or on potentially addressing chronic absence through a particular type of programming such as community schools.
  • COEs can organize professional development, peer learning opportunities, and access to resources to help equip districts and schools to advance:
    • Health, well-being, and safety;
    • Family engagement; and
    • Student connectedness

3. Interventions

  • COEs may be able to help districts address the unique needs of particular student populations with high levels of chronic absence; for example, foster youth, students experiencing homelessness, or students with disabilities. For example, the Yolo COE has partnered with AmeriCorps External link opens in new window or tab. to create a mentorship program aimed at increasing academic engagement and achievement for students in the foster care system and/or experiencing homelessness.
  • COEs may also support the establishment and operation of School Attendance Review Boards (SARBs) that focus on identifying students’ and families’ needs and connecting them to local supports, rather than on negative consequences
  • COEs may also coordinate with other county agencies and community organizations to address the potential root causes of chronic absence, such as poverty, lack of transportation, and mental health challenges. For example, Alameda COE summarizes countywide and city-specific mental health resources External link opens in new window or tab. .

4. Advocacy and Policy

COEs can provide up-to-date information to districts and schools regarding attendance policies, resources, and statewide supports to address student attendance and engagement.

  • COEs may advocate with school boards for evidence-based, prevention-oriented policies and practices that may help support school attendance and reduce chronic absence.
  • They may also work to raise awareness about the importance of attendance and the impact of chronic absence on student outcomes.
  • COEs can play an important role in helping districts, charters, and the families they serve access important information about attendance policies and resources and supports to address their needs. Please see the San Diego COE Attendance web page External link opens in new window or tab. , which contains a bank of resources that may support staff and family in understanding attendance policies affecting their students, and tools, such as talking points for attendance meetings, home visit materials, communication resources, and specific recommendations for how they might review their data.

5. Schools

COEs often operate schools for particular student groups. When operating in this capacity, COEs may find reviewing the guidance for schools and districts helpful.

Quick Links to Other Sections of this Guidance

Questions:   Whole Child Division | 916-319-0616
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
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