Denver middle school lowers chronic absenteeism rate through student accountability program

DENVER — A Denver Public Schools middle school has dramatically reduced its chronic absenteeism rate by implementing an innovative program that pairs students with accountability buddies and provides attendance incentives.

KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy, a fifth through eighth grade school in southwest Denver, saw its chronic absenteeism rate plummet from 50% to near its yearly target of below 20% after launching its “Off the Wall Attendance Incentive” program in November 2024. By January 2025, the school’s chronic absenteeism rate had dropped to 23.7%, a 26-point improvement.

The school, which serves nearly 300 students, now averages above 92% daily attendance, exceeding its goal of 92%. Before the program, the school averaged about 85% daily attendance.

“The root cause of the learning gap is called the opportunity gap. And so, what that means is students need to have the opportunity to learn. If they’re not here, then they can’t learn,” said Alana Raybon, the school’s principal.

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