TRDR joins special ODE study on attendance and successful practices

Two Rivers–Dos Ríos Elementary (TRDR) has been selected by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to participate in a statewide study examining attendance trends and effective school practices. ODE reached out to TRDR administrators and staff to learn from the school’s approach to improving attendance and strengthening engagement with families and community partners.

The study will help ODE better understand what is working across Oregon schools, identify ongoing challenges, and inform future policies and best practices related to student attendance.

Recent statewide data released by ODE shows that more than 550,000 students attend kindergarten through 12th grade in Oregon. During the 2023–24 school year, about 66% of students attended school at least 90% of the time, while roughly one-third missed 16 or more days. Before the pandemic, attendance rates were significantly higher—about 80% of students met the 90% attendance threshold during the 2018–19 school year. Students who attend at least 90% of school days are considered to have regular attendance.

TRDR’s attendance data reflects both the impact of the pandemic and the school’s recovery efforts:

	TRDR Regular Attenders	State Average Regular Attenders
2017-18	82%	80%
2018-19	87%	80%
2021-22	53%	64%
2022-23	57%	62%
2034-24	60%	66%
2024-25	64%	66%

After a sharp decline during the pandemic, TRDR has steadily improved attendance over the past three years, a trend that helped draw ODE’s attention to the school’s practices. TRDR Principal Kristen Noor said much of that progress is rooted in strong community outreach and meaningful family engagement.

“Our admin team began by reviewing attendance data and listening closely to parent feedback, which helped us identify clear trends and areas of concern,” Noor said. “We introduced a Friday morning meeting to help boost attendance specifically on Fridays and we saw an immediate improvement.”
Building on that success, TRDR expanded outreach by promoting Friday assemblies to families through social media, email, and Seesaw. Noor and her team also focused on educating both staff and families about the influence they have on attendance and helping families see the long-term importance of consistent school attendance."

To support students throughout the school day, TRDR staff established consistent classroom entry routines to create smoother transitions and set clear expectations each morning. Morning meetings play a key role in helping students feel connected, supported, and ready to learn.

The school also holds weekly 20-minute attendance meetings where kindergarten through fifth-grade general education teachers review individual student attendance data. These meetings allow staff to identify concerns early and submit communication forms to ensure timely follow-up with families.

TRDR has further strengthened attendance by recognizing students with 95–100% attendance through awards and prizes, an approach that has been met with enthusiasm and motivation from students.

“We tailored our approach by focusing on individualized support and leveraging the strong relationships our staff have built with families,” Noor said. “Because teachers, our family resource EA, and front office staff all make direct connections with students and caregivers, we are able to respond to each family’s unique needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.”

Noor credits the school’s family resource educational assistant as a key coordinator, connecting families with community resources when additional supports are needed. TRDR also benefits from multilingual staff members who have built deep, trusted relationships with families. These staff members provide linguistic support, help families navigate community challenges, and ensure communication remains clear, accessible, and culturally responsive.

“It is extremely rewarding to know that ODE is noticing the hard work all staff are putting in at TRDR,” Noor said.

Statewide, absenteeism remains highest in kindergarten, early elementary grades, and among high school seniors. Education experts emphasize that attendance in the early grades is especially critical. Research shows students who are chronically absent in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade are far less likely to read at grade level by third grade—making them four times more likely to drop out of high school than proficient readers.

By participating in ODE’s attendance study, Two Rivers–Dos Ríos Elementary will contribute valuable insight into how relationship-centered, data-informed practices can help schools improve attendance and strengthen student success across Oregon.

Pictured above: Mrs. Ferris with her first grade class at TRDR.