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How AI is Transforming Attendance Tracking in New Mexico Schools
AI platform represents a powerful tool in addressing chronic absenteeism.
Date of writing
January 14, 2025
Time of reading
2 minutes
In an innovative move to tackle chronic absenteeism, several school districts in New Mexico—Farmington, Raton, Carlsbad, and Hobbs—are piloting an AI-powered tool designed by the San Francisco-based software company Edia, according to government technology. This technology automates attendance tracking and enhances communication with parents, marking a significant shift in how schools manage student absences.
Farmington Municipal Schools began using Edia's platform in November 2024 at three high schools, serving around 3,400 students. The AI system integrates with student information systems, acting as a chatbot that directly engages parents when students are marked absent. It collects absence reasons, requests supporting documentation like doctor's notes via text, and facilitates real-time parent responses.
Nathan Pierantoni, Executive Director of Support Services for Farmington Municipal Schools, emphasized the importance of addressing absenteeism proactively: "Kids can't learn if they're not present, and we're talking about a district with 10,737 students. Even if we're running a 92 percent daily attendance, it means we've got hundreds of kids a day that are absent — and trying to dive into the reasons why kids are absent is a complex process."
This pilot project already shows promise, with attendance improving slightly and parent response rates to the AI chatbot exceeding 60%, significantly outpacing traditional methods like robocalls.
New Mexico has faced staggering rates of chronic absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between 2019 and 2023, the state experienced a 119% increase in students missing more than 10% of instructional time. Although recent efforts have brought the statewide absenteeism rate down from 39.22% in 2022-23 to 29.77% in 2023-24, it remains alarmingly high.
Pierantoni noted that despite a 5% reduction in chronic absenteeism in Farmington, there’s much more to be done: "Coming into this year, we knew that it wasn't good enough to have a third of our kids effectively still missing 10 percent or more of the school year."
The Edia platform’s benefits extend beyond improving attendance. Farmington Superintendent Cody Diehl highlighted its role in transforming attendance liaisons into "problem solvers" by providing critical data about absence reasons. This information enables schools to address underlying academic, behavioral, and emotional issues that may impact attendance.
Diehl also noted how better attendance tracking supports child welfare: "With absences better tracked, the Farmington district is better able to raise red flags and intervene."
Implementing the AI system hasn’t been without hurdles. Updating student information and convincing parents to engage have been challenges. However, as the program continues, Farmington officials are optimistic about the insights and opportunities it will generate.
Other districts, like Santa Fe Public Schools, are observing the pilot closely. Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez remarked: "It could be something that we add to what we're already doing. Hopefully, it would free up some of that time that individuals take to make calls."
While the AI platform is not a standalone solution, it represents a powerful tool in addressing chronic absenteeism. By streamlining attendance tracking and fostering meaningful parental engagement, schools are better equipped to support students both inside and outside the classroom.
Farmington Municipal Schools began using Edia's platform in November 2024 at three high schools, serving around 3,400 students. The AI system integrates with student information systems, acting as a chatbot that directly engages parents when students are marked absent. It collects absence reasons, requests supporting documentation like doctor's notes via text, and facilitates real-time parent responses.
Nathan Pierantoni, Executive Director of Support Services for Farmington Municipal Schools, emphasized the importance of addressing absenteeism proactively: "Kids can't learn if they're not present, and we're talking about a district with 10,737 students. Even if we're running a 92 percent daily attendance, it means we've got hundreds of kids a day that are absent — and trying to dive into the reasons why kids are absent is a complex process."
This pilot project already shows promise, with attendance improving slightly and parent response rates to the AI chatbot exceeding 60%, significantly outpacing traditional methods like robocalls.
New Mexico has faced staggering rates of chronic absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between 2019 and 2023, the state experienced a 119% increase in students missing more than 10% of instructional time. Although recent efforts have brought the statewide absenteeism rate down from 39.22% in 2022-23 to 29.77% in 2023-24, it remains alarmingly high.
Pierantoni noted that despite a 5% reduction in chronic absenteeism in Farmington, there’s much more to be done: "Coming into this year, we knew that it wasn't good enough to have a third of our kids effectively still missing 10 percent or more of the school year."
The Edia platform’s benefits extend beyond improving attendance. Farmington Superintendent Cody Diehl highlighted its role in transforming attendance liaisons into "problem solvers" by providing critical data about absence reasons. This information enables schools to address underlying academic, behavioral, and emotional issues that may impact attendance.
Diehl also noted how better attendance tracking supports child welfare: "With absences better tracked, the Farmington district is better able to raise red flags and intervene."
Implementing the AI system hasn’t been without hurdles. Updating student information and convincing parents to engage have been challenges. However, as the program continues, Farmington officials are optimistic about the insights and opportunities it will generate.
Other districts, like Santa Fe Public Schools, are observing the pilot closely. Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez remarked: "It could be something that we add to what we're already doing. Hopefully, it would free up some of that time that individuals take to make calls."
While the AI platform is not a standalone solution, it represents a powerful tool in addressing chronic absenteeism. By streamlining attendance tracking and fostering meaningful parental engagement, schools are better equipped to support students both inside and outside the classroom.