A new large-scale study released by the Detroit Partnership for Education Equity & Research at Wayne State University finds there is no single “silver bullet” for improving student attendance, but identifies practices associated with stronger outcomes. Researchers paired survey data from administrators at 1,100 Michigan schools with absenteeism, achievement, and demographic data from 2021–22 through 2024–25. The work points to a strategy emphasis on deep family engagement—such as regular home visits and personalized messages—to reduce chronic absenteeism. Researchers caution against piling on disconnected interventions and instead urge coherent, community-tailored approaches. The study also quantifies effect size: a student moving from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile in practice effectiveness would attend roughly seven additional school days, moving closer to thresholds where chronic absence is defined as missing at least 10% of days in a 180-day year. As chronic absenteeism remains above pre-pandemic levels even as declines continue in many states, the findings offer actionable guidance for attendance interventions at scale. In separate federal context, the broader education system remains in flux, with K-12 enrollment and spending patterns varying significantly by state.