Reader,

If you're an Illinois school leader, today is an interesting day.

Your 2026 Educator Preview opens today. As you view your school’s new Summative Designation, pay particular attention to attendance. Click "Students" in the left column to view your Chronic Absenteeism Rate. Consistent Attendance Rate is also shown as one of Illinois’ elevating accountability indicators.

Around the state principals and superintendents will log in, click around, celebrate some numbers...

...and stare a little longer at others.

​Illinois Admin. check out your preview here.​

I know the feeling.

We immediately start asking questions.

Where did we grow?

Where did we struggle?

What changed?

And eventually:

What are we going to do about it?

That last question is the one that matters.

Because data doesn't improve schools.

What we DO with the data improves schools.

And if one of the numbers staring back at you today is chronic absenteeism, I want you to know something:

You don't have to spend another year simply admiring the problem.

You can build a system to attack it.

Over the past two weeks, I've shared two beliefs that sit at the heart of my work around attendance.

First:

Attendance is access.

Students must be present before they can access the teachers, interventions, relationships, activities, and opportunities our schools provide.

Second:

Every percentage has a name.

Students like Max remind us that improving attendance isn't simply about moving a number on a spreadsheet.

It's about restoring connection.

Restoring belonging.

Restoring opportunity.

But here's where things get harder.

Knowing attendance matters isn't enough.

Caring deeply about kids isn't enough.

Running another attendance incentive isn't enough.

Sending another round of letters isn't enough.

You need a system.

That's exactly why I created the Attendance Lab.

The Attendance Lab is a year-long partnership for schools and districts ready to move from:

“Attendance is a problem.”

to

“We have a plan.”

Inside the Lab, leaders receive ongoing coaching, practical tools, resources, accountability, and a community of educators working through the same challenges.

Not another one-day workshop where everyone leaves fired up on Friday and returns to the same systems on Monday.

We're building the systems together.

Week by week.

Small shift by small shift.

Student by student.

Because:

PD creates a moment. Systems create momentum.

And here's the part I want Illinois school leaders to consider today.

We spend enormous resources creating educational opportunity.

Staff.

Curriculum.

Interventions.

Technology.

Programs.

Professional development.

School improvement dollars.

But none of those investments can reach a student sitting at home.

Funding creates opportunity. Attendance determines whether students can access it.

So if you opened your data today and chronic absenteeism is still one of those numbers that makes you stop scrolling...

I can help.

Don't wait until January.

Don't form another committee to study the same problem.

Don't spend another year hoping this year's attendance campaign moves the needle.

Let's build something better.

Define the drift.

Where are students disconnecting?

Design the shift.

What small, repeatable systems can change that trajectory?

Do the work.

Consistently. Together. All year long.

That's the Attendance Lab.

If improving attendance is part of your school improvement work this year, take a few minutes to look inside.

​The Attendance Lab Sneak Peek is here.​

Or simply reply to this email with the word ATTENDANCE.

I'll personally connect with you and we can determine whether the Lab makes sense for your school or district.

Your data has identified the opportunity.

Now let's build the system to change it.

​

Tom

#TeamBOOM

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