Caddo Parish schools are seeing a noticeable increase in student attendance this school year, following districtwide changes aimed at keeping kids in classrooms and strengthening support for families. District leaders say updated policies, staff realignment, and new community partnerships are already showing results across dozens of campuses.
Caddo Schools Superintendent Keith Burton recently told KEEL News that attendance has become one of the district’s top priorities for the 2024–25 school year. While some statewide data reflects last year’s numbers, Burton says current figures tell a different story, one that shows meaningful improvement not just in Caddo Parish, but across surrounding districts as well.
More Caddo Students Back in Classrooms
District officials report that more than 30 schools are showing measurable gains in attendance, with some campuses seeing dramatic reductions in chronic absences. At Huntington High School alone, the number of chronically absent students has dropped by more than 100 compared to last year, according to district reviews of the most recent data.
When comparing this school year to last, Burton says overall attendance concerns have dropped by more than 50 percent districtwide, a shift he credits to early intervention and consistent follow-up with families.
Changing How Caddo Schools Respond
Rather than relying on end-of-year reporting, the district adjusted how attendance issues are addressed early on. Central office staff were reassigned to campuses with the greatest needs, and schools were encouraged to reach out to families as soon as students began missing class…