Chronic absenteeism isn’t the problem–it’s the signal

Wednesday, July 22, 2026Dr. Natasha Scott, Cumberland County SchoolsView original

Chronic absenteeism will not be solved by a stricter attendance policy--it will be solved by people who focus on belonging and support.

Every school leader I know has a version of the same moment: You pull up a student's attendance record expecting to find a discipline problem, and instead you find a family going through a crisis none of us would wish on anyone.