Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC)
The Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC) is a cross-departmental collaborative within the Maine Department of Education dedicated to increasing attendance in Maine schools. MEAC provides technical assistance, practical insights, and resources to help schools implement Tier 1, evidence-based strategies that address the root causes of chronic absence, shifting from crisis response to prevention. By supporting proactive, research-driven practices, MEAC empowers schools to foster consistent engagement and improved academic outcomes throughout Maine.
Share Your Stories about Attendance
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Stories from Around the State
Over the summer, MEAC hosted the Maine Attendance Campaign Name and Slogan Contest, selecting "Rooted in Learning, Growing Every Day: Be Pine Tree Present!" as the winning motto. Maine schools were then invited to hold their own logo design contests inspired by this slogan. Fourteen schoolwide winning logos, from talented artists in Grades K-12, were submitted to the Maine Department of Education. Explore these creative designs through the interactive map.
About Chronic Absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism — defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, whether excused, unexcused, or disciplinary — is a growing concern in Maine and across the nation.
In early 2024, the Maine Department of Education began to forge a path to address this issue through a transformative collaboration called the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC). This work involves representatives from across a variety of Maine DOE offices and teams, as well as external partners like Count ME In and Maine Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
By the Numbers
National data from Attendance Works indicates that during the 2022-2023 school year, the national rate of chronic absenteeism was 28% — only a slight decline from the pandemic peak of 30% in 2021-2022, compared to 16% in 2018-2019. In Maine: 31% in 2021-2022, trending down to 27% in 2022-2023 and 24% in 2023-2024.
Attendance Toolkit & Learning Series
Designed to help school staff understand how attendance can impact health services, school climate, family engagement, and community involvement.
In early 2025, the Maine DOE launched a four-part learning series to allow participants to more deeply explore the Attendance Toolkit.
MEAC Office Hours
Comprehensive tools and guidance to help schools ensure attendance compliance, implement effective strategies, monitor data, and address chronic absenteeism.
- SY 2025-2026 Office Hour Recordings
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Month & Topic Recording Notes September 2025 — Aubrie Howard presents resources and strategies to assist in creating physically and emotionally safe environments. YouTube PDF October 2025 — Jim Boothby presents resources and strategies to assist in building routine, relationships, and relevance. YouTube PDF November 2025 — Jess Anderson shares research related to establishing early warning systems and team-based responses for student engagement and attendance. YouTube PDF December 2025 — Rebecca Honig, from Parent Powered, discusses using consistent, growth-focused attendance messaging to strengthen communication between schools and families. She shares practical strategies for clear attendance expectations, proactive outreach, and building trust through consistent engagement. YouTube PDF | Slides January 2026 — Our January MEAC office hour highlighted Title I family engagement and attendance strategies, with Rita Pello, Maine DOE Title 1 Coordinator and ESEA Regional Program Manager, as our content expert. Rita presented ideas to strengthen school-home partnerships and to leverage federal funding for family engagement initiatives. She shared examples from summer programs across the state of Maine, demonstrating successful practices, including transportation solutions, community partnerships, and creative approaches to overcome barriers like childcare and language differences. YouTube PDF February 2026 — Courtney Angelosante shares research and resources related to implementing positive recognition and motivation strategies for increased student engagement and attendance. YouTube PDF March 2026 — Our March MEAC Office Hour focuses on engaging families through proactive, supportive outreach to improve attendance and engagement among migrant and English language learner students in Maine schools, featuring insights from Leslie Monroy of Mano en Mano. It explores how cultural barriers, language differences, and systemic challenges — especially during grade-level transitions — impact students, and highlights strategies such as relationship-building, removing barriers through food, transportation, and cultural supports, and implementing programs like orientations, mentorship, and the Blueberry Harvest School. YouTube PDF April 2026 — The April MEAC Office Hour featured a diverse panel of school leaders actively implementing Tier 1, evidence-based strategies. Their efforts are reducing barriers, strengthening engagement, and fostering supportive environments for students and families. Panelists shared what guided their work, what has been effective, challenges encountered, and next steps. YouTube PDF May 2026 — Our final MEAC Office Hour session for the 2025-2026 school year focused on reflecting on attendance practices and planning for a strong start to next year. Jessica Anderson from Count Me In facilitated the session, reviewing key strategies discussed throughout the year's MEAC OH series, including relationship building, early intervention, data tracking, and family engagement. YouTube PDF
Resources
Partnerships
Contact
Sarah Nelson
Climate, Culture, & Resilience Engagement Specialist
Email: Sarah.Nelson@maine.gov