2026 Indiana Attendance Science Institute
Where Attendance Science Meets Community Action
A two-day immersive professional learning experience for district leaders — combining research, leadership development, and an Exclusive Community Immersion Experience that lets your team see attendance improvement strategies in action.
The Number We’re Not Counting
An absenteeism-adjusted participation rate for higher education
Colleges already collect attendance in their learning management systems — yet almost none of them use it as the early engagement signal it is. In this Inside Higher Ed column, Dr. Gentle-Genitty makes the case for an absenteeism-adjusted participation rate: a measure borrowed from K–12 chronic-absence practice that flags disengagement weeks before grades do, so advisers can reach out with support rather than penalties. A low-risk first step, she argues, at a moment when public trust in the value of a degree is under pressure.
Schools Spared, Children Punished
Outsourced Education | How We Got to Attendance Science™
Who really pays when a child falls through the cracks? Drawing on original research with Indiana public middle school principals and decades of criminology and social work theory, Dr. Gentle-Genitty shows how American education has been quietly outsourced — from family to school, from school to court — and why, when the system strains, it is the child who is punished while the school is spared. Part research study, part urgent social critique, this is the story of how we got to Attendance Science™.
Professional learning in Attendance Science™
Taught by Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, founder of the field. Certify your whole team through a live, facilitator-led CAP Level 1 cohort — in person or virtual — or start the self-paced MTSS certificate course today.
Certified Attendance Professional™ — Level 1
Live, facilitator-led certification · in-person or virtual
An interactive certification experience for schools, districts, state agencies, universities, and organizations strengthening their collective capacity to address attendance. Six modules with graded assessments and a Certificate of Professional Certification. Requires a cohort of 30–100 participants; not available for individual enrollment.
Refusal & Avoidance MTSS School Attendance Problems
Self-paced · individual enrollment available
Take your professional learning into your own hands. Designed for K–12 leaders and attendance professionals, this four-unit course examines school avoidance and refusal through an MTSS framework — assessment, intervention planning, and evidence-based strategies for complex attendance challenges. No group minimum or prerequisite.
Every missed day is a missed opportunity.
Attendance USA is committed to ensuring that every student is present, engaged, and supported, because every child deserves the chance to succeed.
Learn about us
Solving the Attendance Challenge Together
Attendance USA is the national hub for improving student attendance through cross-sector collaboration and a focus on family stability. We serve as the professional home for all stakeholders working on attendance and absenteeism—bringing together educators, policymakers, researchers, healthcare providers, and community leaders.
Our collective vision
Let's attack attendance together
We offer US stakeholders a harmonious place for collective access to:
1. Evidence-Based Solutions.
2. Shared Standards and Values.
3. Clear Success Metrics.
4. Unified National Response.
5. Policy and Practice Guidance.
We coordinate and elevate efforts across the country by offering a central space to collect, share, and apply evidence-based strategies. Our work supports student success through data-informed practices, partnership building, and advocacy that reunites Education and Care.
What We Aim to Achieve
- Increased school attendance
- Stronger student-teacher relationships
- Stronger student-teacher relationships
- Reduced chronic absenteeism
- Improved family engagement
Follow our Podcast
Join us as we uncover real partners, real strategies, and real systems that make every day — and every connection — count.
Explore our offerings
Engage with Programs
developed by Professionals
Innovative approaches to solve attendance and absenteeism issues
Our commitment reflects our dedication to driving impactful transformations. Join us as we pioneer progressive solutions, empower communities, and shape a better future.
Membership
Members help foster community dialogue, civic engagement, and awareness on absenteeism and school attendance issues. Get access to professionals, partners and consultants.
Resources
Join our workshops to learn about advocacy, policy-making, and grassroots initiatives. Get access to Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) databases for national and cross-country analysis.
Training and Certification
Two courses are now enrolling: Certified Attendance Professional™ Level 1, and the new School Avoidance and Refusal certificate course for the field's hardest cases.
View the impact
Come Together to Address the Attendance Problem
Get in touch
Start a Conversation between Teams
Effect positive change by engaging our team with your team in solving your unique attendance problem.
