Governor Kotek Proclaims September as Attendance Awareness Month

Salem, OR — Governor Tina Kotek today proclaimed September 2025 as Attendance Awareness Month in Oregon to help break down barriers keeping students out of school. Evidence shows students who regularly attend school in September are significantly more likely to continue attending regularly throughout the school year.

"Every day in school matters — not just for lesson plans, but for making friends, learning skills and discovering what lights them up," Governor Kotek said. "Chronic absenteeism is an early warning sign that a student or family needs support. This is our chance to help every student realize their potential."

Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days a year or about two days a month — can lower achievement as early as kindergarten and continue affecting students through fifth grade.

Regular attendance delivers results. Students in kindergarten through third grade who attend regularly are more likely to read at their grade level. By sixth grade, absenteeism is one of three indicators a student may drop out of high school. By ninth grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than eighth-grade test scores.

Chronic absenteeism is often driven by economic issues like transportation challenges, limited access to health care and housing instability. Schools cannot address these issues alone and rely on partnerships between families, educators and community members to target the root causes of absenteeism.

“Attendance is about more than just being in a seat,” said Dr. Charlene Williams, Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Director. “It’s about making sure every child feels safe, supported, and ready to learn from the very beginning of their school journey. Together, we can build the habits and relationships that lead to lasting success.”

ODE provides schools with tools to build relationships with families and help families establish routines from Day One. Resources include:

• A monthly virtual learning series for educators, community partners and state leaders
• A yearlong planning guide for district and school leaders
• An attendance tracker that families can customize and print to monitor attendance throughout the year
• External resources to connect families with needed support

For a full list of resources, visit every-day-matters.org.

The full text of the proclamation can be found here.

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