Atlanta Public Schools are tackling significant absenteeism and tardiness issues with a new strategy involving social workers visiting homes to address the root causes.
The District Attendance Review Team (DART) has deployed social workers to engage with families directly, identifying barriers to attendance such as financial struggles and lack of transportation.
“Sometimes the barrier is not just attendance,” said Summer Pace, a school social worker involved in the initiative. “Sometimes attendance is a symptom of a bigger problem.”…