Reengaging Students: Oceanside USD’s Approach to Chronic Absenteeism

When students don’t show up to school, it’s rarely about laziness or lack of care. For Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD), chronic absenteeism has become a mirror reflecting deeper struggles — from post-pandemic disconnection to unmet mental health needs.

Before COVID-19, the district sounded the alarm when chronic absenteeism reached 11%, a number that once felt like a crisis.

By the 2021–2022 school year, however, 36% of OUSD students were chronically absent, the highest the district had ever seen.

“That number hit us hard,” says Dr. Jordy Sparks, who leads student support and equity initiatives across the district. “But instead of reacting with blame, we paused and asked: Why don’t students feel safe, supported, or motivated to come to school? And how do we change that?”

Turning the Curve: A Data-Driven, Heart-Led Approach 

Three years later, OUSD has cut its chronic absenteeism rate by more than half — now under 18%.

That progress didn’t come from a single program or top-down directive. It came from a mindset shift: treating absenteeism as a whole-child, whole-family issue, rooted in relationships, mental health, and belonging.

“We had to stop seeing attendance as just a number,” Dr. Sparks explains. “Every percentage point is about 2,000 students. That’s 2,000 stories. 2,000 young people making the decision — or feeling like they can’t make the decision — to show up.”

What Changed?

Investing in People, Not Just Policies

• OUSD hired its first school social worker just two years ago and now has a team of seven, with plans to expand.
• Social workers, housed under the district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department, provide home visits, case management, and wraparound support for students with the greatest attendance challenges.
• Restorative justice coaches help students navigate harm or trauma that made school feel unsafe — guiding them through repairing relationships, rebuilding trust, and regaining their sense of belonging.
• Community school coordinators and mentorship organizations, including AmeriCorps Path, have taken active roles in daily student support.

Making Mental Health Visible and Accessible

• Every elementary school now has a dedicated counselor leading groups on topics like grief, anxiety, and resilience.
• The district doubled its social work team and increased reliance on school psychologists.
• OUSD partnered with Care Solace, providing 24/7 coordination that connects students and families to external mental health providers without the barriers of insurance navigation or waitlists.
• The district contracts with Tier 3 clinical providers for intensive needs, ensuring no student falls through the cracks.

“We’re building what we call a mental wellbeing ecosystem,” says Dr. Sparks. “We don’t want to depend on any single strategy or organization. We want to focus on diverse and sustainable access points.”

Understanding the Why: What's Behind Absenteeism?

OUSD learned that absenteeism looks different depending on grade level:

• Elementary students often miss school due to family instability — transportation, job loss, illness, or health challenges at home.
• Secondary students disengage for personal or academic reasons — falling behind in coursework, lacking peer connections, or believing school isn’t relevant to their future.

“For a lot of older students, it becomes academic,” explains Dr. Sparks. “They fall behind and start believing they can’t catch up — and then they stop trying. They tell themselves, ‘What’s the point?’"

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all response, OUSD staff meet individually with students to build customized re-engagement plans. These plans outline concrete steps to catch up, regain confidence, and return to school with a renewed sense of possibility.

Listening First, Acting with Purpose

OUSD places a strong emphasis on student and family voice:

• Home visits help uncover root causes while building trust.
• Surveys and empathy interviews provide insight into belonging and well-being.
• Listening circles and student clubs (like Black Student Union and GSA) ensure diverse student voices shape solutions.
• Community events such as local markets offer informal but meaningful opportunities to connect with caregivers.

“We’re not trying to ‘fix’ families,” says Dr. Sparks. “We’re building relationships — so families feel like true partners, not problems to solve.”

Role of Care Solace: Enhancing Access and Support

For OUSD, addressing absenteeism has meant building a web of supports rather than relying on any one program. Partnering with Care Solace has been a critical part of that effort.

“Care Solace has given our schools and families another doorway into care,” explains Dr. Sparks. “Sometimes a student or family just doesn’t have the support they need, and having this option in our toolkit makes all the difference.”

Staff members have found the platform especially helpful when a student needs immediate access to services outside of school. Families appreciate knowing they can reach out any time, in any language, and be connected to a trusted provider. Importantly, Care Solace follows up directly with schools, allowing school staff to ensure students are supported consistently.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “When people experience Care Solace, the feedback is good,” says Dr. Sparks. “It gives our families and staff confidence that there’s always another access point.”

One of the most powerful outcomes has been re-engaging students who had slipped away from school altogether. In many cases, once a student returns to regular attendance, they are immediately connected with some form of ongoing support—sometimes formal therapy, sometimes simply regular check-ins with a trained adult.

“It isn’t always about intensive counseling,” Dr. Sparks notes. “Sometimes it’s about building healthy habits and knowing someone is consistently checking in. That ongoing connection can completely change the trajectory for a student.”

The Impact and the Road Ahead

The results are encouraging:

• Chronic absenteeism cut in half in just three years.
• Suspension rates are down, reflecting a healthier school climate.
• Survey data shows a rising sense of belonging, particularly in secondary schools.

But OUSD leaders emphasize this is only the beginning.

“There’s no finish line,” Dr. Sparks says. “This is ongoing work — listening, adjusting, and showing up with empathy.”

Next steps include:

• Hiring additional social workers.
• Leveraging California’s youth behavioral health initiative (CYBHI) to expand billable services.
• Building supports for students impacted by immigration enforcement, including rapid response teams, legal resources, and emotional care.
  

Final Thoughts

“If we want students to show up, school has to feel like it’s for them,” Dr. Sparks reflects. “Not just academically — but emotionally, culturally, and relationally. We’re working every day to make sure when they walk through those doors, they feel seen and valued.”

Chronic absenteeism isn’t just about missing school. It’s about disconnection — and Oceanside Unified is proving that the antidote is community, care, and empathy.