Chronic student absenteeism continues to be a national challenge post-pandemic at all levels of public education. Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) neighborhood conversion charter schools are tackling the issue head-on with innovative, family-centered initiatives.
Collaborating with each school’s Community School Coordinator to work individually with families at risk for chronic absenteeism and focusing on BCP-wide professional development on the issue are two initiatives. In January 2025, BCP’s Leading Minds annual symposium centered on chronic absenteeism with a panel of statewide educators and experts, with a focus on parent reengagement to address the challenge.
Frederick Elementary School (FES) recently introduced a unique student incentive program that is creating a noteworthy trend in attendance. Every week, every FES student, Pre-K through 5th grade, receives one FES buck (or “dollar”) if they attend school the entire week. This faux-currency may be spent at the end of the week at Kidz Korner, the FES spirit store, on toys and snacks. The Kidz Korner inventory has been selected by students through a schoolwide poll to ensure that there are items students truly want.
Typically, there is a dip in attendance in the spring. Since introducing the incentive program, we are holding steady with our attendance rates. Students are also saving up their bucks week after week, to ‘purchase’ a higher-valued item. While the main purpose of the program is to incentivize daily attendance, it is wonderful that financial literacy lessons on the value of saving are baked in.
Read BCP Director of Operations Brianna Kaufman’s blog post on Post-Pandemic Strategies for Tackling Chronic Absenteeism and Reinventing Parent Engagement and Community Schools.
