EveryDay Labs Celebrates Educational Innovation with Attendance Awards

In an inspiring declaration earlier this month, EveryDay Labs proudly announced the winners of their inaugural Attendance Innovation Awards, honoring five exceptional school districts dedicated to revolutionizing attendance strategies. This recognition highlights the significant efforts made by educators and communities to address chronic absenteeism—a challenge that affects many students across the nation.

The standout winner of the grand prize is Menchville High School from Newport News Public Schools in Virginia, which has creatively implemented a unique soccer league aimed specifically at improving attendance among English Learners. This ingenious initiative not only deepened students' love for the sport but also introduced them to vital skills beyond athleticism, such as statistics and public speaking. By organizing soccer tournaments on historically low attendance days, the school succeeded in elevating average daily attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism among English Learners from 33% to an impressive 29%.

Runner Up Winners

Following the grand prize winner, four additional districts received recognition as runner-ups, each showcasing impactful initiatives:

1. Carver College and Career Academy in Chesterfield County, Virginia: This institution fostered a culture of accountability, engagement, and support through structured homeroom programming and a multi-tiered attendance initiative. As a result, they observed a remarkable 53% of their students improve or maintain their attendance from the prior school year while extracurricular participation soared.

2. Clark County School District, Nevada: Highlighting community involvement, this district effectively partnered with local businesses and nonprofits to raise awareness about attendance's importance. Their collaborative efforts yielded a substantial reduction in chronic absenteeism, lowering rates from 36% in the 2022-2023 school year to 28% by early 2025.

3. Glendora Unified School District, California: By concentrating on family support and utilizing professional learning communities, this district transformed attendance strategies and significantly cut chronic absenteeism from 17.5% to just under 8% over two years.

4. Perris Union High School District, California: Through the PELI (Parent Engagement Leadership Initiative) Action Teams, the district not only nurtured family engagement but also recorded a districtwide decline in chronic absenteeism by nearly 8%. Their efforts enhanced participation in school events and invigorated student leadership opportunities.

Fostering Sustainable Change

These remarkable districts exemplify how collaboration with students, families, and the broader community can spark initiatives that substantially enhance attendance rates. The results showcase innovation and creativity, freeing educators from administrative burdens—allowing them to focus on student engagement and well-being.

In a digital presentation scheduled for August 14 at 2 PM ET, educators from these award-winning districts will share insights on their successful strategies, further inspiring other schools to harness similar innovative practices.

EveryDay Labs aims to reduce chronic absenteeism with a unique blend of behavioral science, data science, and family engagement strategies. To date, their initiatives have prevented over 2.6 million absences, significantly boosting instructional time for students—a staggering increase of over 1 billion minutes. The company has earned recognition for its impactful work, receiving a