PED Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo
NMPED News:
SANTA FE — Data for the 2023-24 school year reveals a significant drop in New Mexico’s chronic absenteeism rate, which has decreased to 32.8% – a 6.42 percentage point reduction from the previous year.
“We will continue to build on this momentum to foster an environment where consistent attendance is the norm, not the exception,” Public Education Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo said.
This improved rate represents a 7.93 percentage point decrease from the highest reported chronic absenteeism rate of 40.73% in the 2021-2022 school year.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10% of school days in an academic year. Addressing chronic absenteeism is a priority for the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED).
The PED’s multifaceted approach to improving student attendance includes additional training and support for districts and charters, attendance conferences, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions for at-risk students.
The PED is promoting the ‘Be Here NM’ campaign to raise awareness about chronic absenteeism and remind students and families of the importance of school attendance. The campaign includes media outreach through billboards, print media and social media; physical materials provided to schools to launch their own attendance campaigns; and the BeHereNM.org website, which offers resources for schools and families to support attendance efforts.
The 2024 New Mexico State Attendance Conference, hosted by the PED, will be held Oct. 28 in Albuquerque. The event will bring together more than 400 school staff, professionals and community members to collaborate on strategies for improving school attendance.
Since the enactment of the Attendance for Success Act in 2019, New Mexico has shifted from reporting habitual truancy to tracking chronic absenteeism, aligning with national best practices. This approach emphasizes support over punishment, reflecting a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment.
For more information about the conference, visit https://www.beherenm.org/conference/.
