“HERE!”

THE Y IMPROVES PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Students cannot receive an education if they don’t go to school, and 36% of public-school students citywide missed at least 10 percent of school last year—nearly double the pre-pandemic rate. This fall, our schools welcome a new cohort of kindergarteners born during the COVID-19 era.

The Y’s Attendance Success Champions (ASC) program is committed to supporting the evolving needs of our K-1 students, combining socialemotional learning with targeted case management strategies to identify and address the root causes of becoming chronically absent. The program operates at 15 Title I schools across the five boroughs and has served 675 students since its 2022 piloted launch, most of whom are children from low-income households of color. With a focus on K-1 students, who are often dependent on their guardians to commute to school, we emphasize the importance of family involvement through regular check-ins and holistic support that addresses barriers and empowers families to prioritize school attendance. Through this approach, P.S. 26 in Jamaica, Queens reported an average increase of 12% in attendance and improvement among 89% of participants.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation’s two-year $600,000 investment has enabled us to bridge educational gaps and deepen our impact in improving attendance outcomes for students in underserved communities—a mission we’re committed to in the school year ahead.•