Tejal Somvanshi

Native Students Face 76% Absenteeism—Can San Carlos Sustain Its 17-Point Drop?

Native American students face alarming 76% chronic absenteeism rate at San Carlos Unified School District during 2022-2023.

Photo Source: Alliance for Excellent Education (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Half of 34 states report Native American students' absenteeism rates exceed state averages by at least 9 percentage points.

Photo Source: Arthur Krijgsman (Pexels)

COVID-19 pandemic amplified existing attendance challenges through remote learning barriers and technology access issues.

Photo Source: Yan Krukau (Pexels)

Historical trauma from abusive boarding schools creates persistent distrust between Native communities and education systems.

Photo Source: Yan Krukau (Pexels)

San Carlos school system partners with hospitals, dentists, and food banks to provide comprehensive student support services.

Photo Source: CDC (Pexels)

Cultural success coaches work directly with Native families to address challenges ranging from anxiety to unstable living conditions.

Photo Source: Ksenia Chernaya (Pexels)

District's focused initiatives reduced chronic absenteeism from 76% to 59% in 2023-2024 through community engagement.

Photo Source: Artem Podrez (Pexels)

Alaska, Nebraska, and South Dakota report majority of Native American students as chronically absent.

Photo Source: Thirdman (Pexels)

Algodones Elementary School preserves cultural identity by closing for ceremonial gatherings and offering native language classes.

Photo Source: olia danilevich (Pexels)

Rice Intermediate School's home visits and family engagement programs show promising results in improving student attendance.

Photo Source: Tima Miroshnichenko (Pexels)