BATON ROUGE, La., July 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Seven Louisiana school systems have demonstrated remarkable progress in combating absenteeism, reducing the number of chronically absent students by an average of 11.5% during the 2024-2025 school year. This significant improvement, facilitated by a pilot program with EveryDay Labs, resulted in students attending an additional 137,722 days of school collectively.
The initiative was a collaborative effort involving the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), the Success Through Attendance Recovery Task Force (STAR), and EveryDay Labs. It was launched in response to the alarming rise in chronic absenteeism, which peaked at 28% in 2021, with one in four students missing 10% or more of school days. Chronic absenteeism has been directly linked to lower reading proficiency, academic underachievement, and reduced high school graduation rates.
“It raises a huge concern for us. I don’t think most people realize how significant these numbers are,” shared BESE President Ronnie Morris, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
The EveryDay Labs pilot program provided targeted interventions, tools, training, and support, leading to tangible improvements across the participating districts. Six of the seven school systems saw improvements similar to or greater than the national average:
- East Baton Rouge Parish, Calcasieu Parish, and Jefferson Parish reduced chronic absenteeism by 6-10%.
- Tangipahoa Parish and Zachary Community made significant gains of 11-20%.
- West Baton Rouge reduced chronic absenteeism by over 30%.
“We recognize the value of our students and the importance of their trajectories through their learning careers — and attendance is a fundamental prerequisite to that success. That’s why we made it a priority to help bring this partnership together. The gains we’re seeing show what’s possible when we work collectively and with urgency to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive,” says Brace “Trey” Godfrey, Senior Vice President of Policy at Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The success of this pilot program demonstrates the effectiveness of data-driven approaches and collaborative partnerships in addressing critical educational challenges and improving student outcomes across Louisiana.
“This remarkable progress underscores the dedication, strategic focus, and collaborative spirit fostered by district leaders and school staff across all seven participating systems,” stated Emily Bailard, CEO of EveryDay Labs. “We are committed to building upon these gains, ensuring every student has the fundamental opportunity to learn and thrive.”
To view the download the full report: https://4875399.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4875399/Louisiana%20Case%20Study.pdf
About EveryDay Labs: EveryDay Labs uses evidence-based strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve student outcomes. Serving over 1.5 million students nationwide, their platform provides data tools and personalized communications to engage families and support daily attendance. Their approach is recognized by Johns Hopkins’ Evidence for ESSA as having strong evidence of effectiveness.
SOURCE EveryDay Labs
