Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the rate of students who are chronically absent—defined as missing just under one month of class—has doubled to 26 percent nationally, reaching crisis levels and threatening the educational foundation of our nation’s youth. Chronic absenteeism is estimated to be responsible for up to 27 percent of the overall decline in math test scores and a shocking 45 percent of the drop in reading scores between 2019 and 2022.
To combat this problem, the company Edia recently unveiled an AI-powered platform aimed at school districts across America. Within minutes of an absence, Edia initiates personalized AI-driven conversations with families in more than 100 languages, enabling school districts to identify and tackle root causes of chronic absenteeism.
“Today, nearly three-quarters of absences are unexplained, meaning no one called in ahead of time and districts don’t know where those children are,” said Joe Philleo, CEO of Edia. “With so many students missing school, staff don’t have the capacity to reach out to every single family and understand what is happening with their child.”
“Every situation is different,” Philleo continues. “When staff don’t know the reason students are missing school, they can’t fix the root cause. One student may miss school because they don’t have reliable transportation, and another student may skip Math and English in the morning and just attend Computer and Welding at the end of the day because they find those classes more engaging.”
By leveraging AI, Edia enables schools to identify and solve the root causes of chronic absenteeism. Its system ensures no absence goes unnoticed, helping to restore accountability, rebuild connections between schools and families, and resolve underlying challenges that keep students from attending class.
Key features of the Edia AI platform include:
– AI Conversations within minutes of Absence: Personalized text message conversations in 100+ languages sent to parents within minutes of an absence, reducing unexplained absences by up to 80 percent.
– Analysis to understand why students are missing class: Texts, calls, and notes come together in a single profile to identify why students are missing school and enable teams to take the right set of action.
– Purpose-built workflows for MTSS interventions: Ability to launch, track, and coordinate personalized intervention plans for students at risk.
Edia’s new solution is currently being used in K-12 school districts nationwide, including Raton Public Schools, Farmington Municipal Schools, and Hobbs Municipal Schools.
“Chronic absenteeism is a significant issue in education and in the Raton Public Schools that can severely impact student achievement and the long-term success of a student,” Kristie Medina, Superintendent at Raton Public Schools. “It refers to students missing a substantial number of school days, typically defined as 10 percent or more of the school year, for any reason, whether excused or unexcused. The challenge of chronic absenteeism lies in its widespread impact, affecting not just individual students but the entire school community. Our district is committed to addressing chronic absenteeism because it is critical to ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed and thrive in both school and life.
Medina continued, “I’m genuinely excited for Raton Public Schools to implement Edia’s AI Attendance Solution! The integration of AI into tracking and improving attendance will be a game-changer, especially when tackling chronic absenteeism. By leveraging AI, the district can gain deeper insights into attendance patterns, identify at-risk students earlier, and tailor interventions more effectively.”
The issue of chronic absenteeism is not limited to the United States alone. It is a global concern that affects the educational outcomes and future prospects of students around the world. By implementing innovative solutions like Edia’s AI platform, schools can proactively address this challenge, support students in staying engaged with their education, and ultimately help them succeed in school and beyond. As technology continues to advance, there is great potential for AI and data-driven tools to play a significant role in improving attendance rates and reducing chronic absenteeism in schools worldwide.
