Screenshot Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine praised Union Local Elementary School on Wednesday for its attendance gains.

MARTINS FERRY – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine praised Union Local Elementary School during his press conference announcing the launch of Ohio’s new Statewide Attendance Dashboard.

The new dashboard is a public tool that will provide an unprecedented level of speed and transparency in tracking student attendance across the state.

DeWine said that Union Local has taken action to lower its chronic absentee rate. He said that last year the district had a chronic absentee rate of 29.1% and now has a rate of 23.2% which is a 5.9% decrease.

“They have begun tracking their attendance patterns closely and opening lines of communication with both students and parents,” DeWine said. “They started providing incentives for students who have actually improved attendance.”

He added that although the increase isn’t substantial it does show that progress is being made.

“While these numbers aren’t huge, they are movement and it does show what can be done when the community and the school focuses on the problem,” DeWine said.

A student is considered chronically absent in Ohio after missing at least 10% of the minimum number of hours required in the school year for any reason – including excused absences. Students only need to miss two or three days per month to be on track to be considered chronically absent.

The dashboard will be updated weekly and allow users to view chronic absenteeism trends statewide or drill down by district, school building, or grade level. During his recent State of the State Address, Governor DeWine highlighted that more than 25% of Ohio students were chronically absent last year, underscoring the need for stronger community-wide action to keep students in school. The new dashboard will help schools, families, and local leaders identify attendance challenges earlier and support proactive strategies to ensure more students are present and learning.

Union Local superintendent Zac Shutler said that it’s exciting to see the district recognized by DeWine at the press conference.

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work of the entire elementary team in enhancing student attendance and reading scores,” Shutler said. “It clearly demonstrates the impact of a team dedicated to their mission, no matter the challenges. Our students, parents, and staff are all deserving of praise.”