Tulsa Public Schools addresses chronic absentee rate

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Tulsa Public Schools leaders are working to lower the district’s chronic absentee rate from just above 25.7 percent, which is far above the national average of 13.7 percent.
The Tulsa World reports that the district has more than 10,000 students who are chronically absent. The district is focusing on managing attendance and setting goals to raise the attendance rate.
District official Ebony Johnson says people are designated to track students missing and which teachers didn’t take attendance on a daily basis.
According to a district report, gifted students and English language learners attended school at a higher rate. The report also says students who qualified for free and reduced lunch went to school less than those who didn’t.
Asian and Hispanic students had higher attendance rates than any other demographic.