Dive Summary:

• According to new research, missing as little as two weeks of school is enough to put young children behind their peers, increase the burden on overworked teachers, cost districts state dollars and negatively impact standardized test scores.
• About 200 middle and high school districts in 17 states will try to counter absenteeism this fall by competing in a challenge organized by New York-based non-profit Get Schooled, which uses computer games, wake-up recordings from celebrities and social media messages to encourage attendance.
• Many other districts already have their own programs, which award students with perfect attendance the opportunity to win everything from bicycles and movie nights to laptops and cars.

From the article:

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — School day wake-up calls recorded by celebrities. Weekend makeup classes. Contests with laptop computers, private concerts and cars as prizes. Educators across the nation are using creative strategies as another school year gets under way to convince students and parents that regular attendance matters — and not just for grades and achievement. ...