PC North Incentive-Based Initiative Tripled Attendance

Missing too much school spiked for high school students after COVID-19.

Now one administrator at Putnam City North made it his mission to increase attendance positively.

An incentive-based initiative has now more than tripled perfect attendance for Putnam City North, in just two short months.

Sometimes the hardest part is just showing up.

So, how do you make kids want to come to school?

Putnam City North High School Assistant Principal Joe Johnson wants to find an answer.

An answer he might have found.

In January of this year, PC North had just over 100 kids with perfect attendance out of the 1500.

Johnson started an incentive-based initiative to turn it all around.

In the 2022 school year, nearly 30% of high schoolers in the U.S. missed more than 10% of the year.

A wave of chronic absenteeism following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Johnson chose to shine a light on those who did show up instead of punishing the empty chairs.

From January to February perfect attendance doubled.

Simple as that, the impact speaks for itself.