Sabrina Carter, a school bus driver in New Orleans, aims to make students excited about school by personally greeting each child and rewarding good behavior with points for treats. She believes that everyone interacting with students can contribute to improving attendance, which has declined since the pandemic. In Louisiana, the chronic absenteeism rate reached 23% for the 2022-23 school year, nearly double the pre-pandemic level. Factors contributing to absenteeism include illness, unreliable transportation, housing instability, and bullying. School districts are focusing on early intervention to support at-risk students and improve attendance.
