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Attendance Matters

Valley of the Sun United Way has developed materials as part of the Supporting Attendance Across Maricopa County project. These materials include helpful assets and resources to support existing outreach initiatives in the community.

Count Us In!

Chronic absence is a nationwide challenge, and the impact is too significant to ignore. By the end of the 2021–2022 school year, chronic absence had nearly doubled. Although rates are beginning to decline, they remain alarmingly high, affecting nearly one in four students.

Missing just 10% of the school year, about two days a month for any reason, can put students at greater risk of falling behind academically and becoming disconnected from school.

Meeting this challenge takes a coordinated, proactive approach. The below resources gives educators practical messaging, positive engagement strategies, and ready-to-use resources to raise awareness about why attendance matters.

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About Attendance Matters

The Situation

A student is deemed chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the academic calendar, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. This typically breaks down to just two days of missed school per month or 18 or more days in a typical school year.

In 2025, the most recent data from Read On Arizona and the Arizona Department of Education shows that chronic absenteeism remains a significant challenge, with approximately 24% of students, about one in four, still classified as chronically absent statewide. This is an improvement from the peak of 32% in 2022 but remains nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% in 2019, underscoring that while progress has been made, attendance recovery continues to be a critical statewide priority.

Our Strategy

The chronic absence crisis is alarming, but it is solvable. Proven, low cost strategies can make a meaningful difference when schools, communities, and families work together in a coordinated way. Through the Attendance Matters initiative, we have seen that consistent, clear messaging helps deepen understanding of why attendance matters, while equipping parents, caregivers, and educators with practical tools for prevention and re engagement. We believe that when communities align around shared strategies and messaging, we can build a culture of attendance that supports every student’s success. Get started with us in understanding the Top Facts & Messaging and how to use the resources here through the Campaign Usage Gude.