Salem-Keizer Public Schools saw another year of improved student attendance, marking two consecutive years of gains in regular attender rates. Data from the Oregon Department of Education, which defines regular attendance as attending more than 90 percent of school days, shows SKPS’ regular attender rate increased by one percentage point from 56 percent in 2023-24 to 57 percent in 2024-25. This follows a jump from 52 percent in 2022-23.
School attendance is clearly a critical part of students having access to instruction, as well as connecting with peers, participating in opportunities and accessing resources. We are glad that our regular attendance rates have improved again this past year, and we still urgently need students and families to prioritize getting to school on time, every day.
Gains for Schools and Student Groups
Many schools saw increases in their regular attender rates from previous years, with several showing significant growth from 2023-24 to 2024-25:
- Keizer Elementary School increased by 13.1 points.
- Chávez and McKinley elementary schools increased by 6.8 and 5.3 points, respectively.
- Auburn, Forest Ridge and Salem Heights elementary schools increased by 4.9, 4.3 and 4.3 percentage points, respectively.
- Whiteaker and Houck middle schools increased by 5.2 and 4.2 points, respectively.
- West Salem High School increased by 3.8 points.
Many of the district’s focal student groups saw meaningful increases in the percentage of students who had regular attendance, including:
- American Indian/Alaska Native: up 6 percentage points
- Black/African American: up 3 points
- Hispanic/Latino: up 2 points
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: up 4 points
- Students experiencing homelessness: up 4 points
- Students in foster care: up 8 points
- 9th Grade: up 4.3 points
Kindergarten is also up 2.4 percentage points, which in total reflects a 12.8 point increase since 2022-23.
“Seeing this trend for our kindergarten students is a huge success and something we must continue to build on,” said Deputy Superintendent Olga Cobb. “Kindergarten is a crucial year for our youngest learners, and setting healthy habits is so important for developing those positive routines early on.”
Climbing Together
This steady climb in regular attendance remains on track with the school board’s strategic goals and our Climbing Together two-year strategic plan. These gains represent meaningful progress in a long-term effort to improve student outcomes…