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Families are critical partners in addressing chronic absenteeism. Drawing from research, authors Thomas J. Capretta, Jingyang (Max) Zhang, and Barbara J. Boone present four throughlines and six strategies for schools to improve attendance by building trust and partnering with families. In view of chronic absenteeism's association with negative academic and life outcomes and disproportionate impact on underserved student populations, addressing absenteeism with families as partners is essential in building shared expectations and identifying unique solutions to unique barriers. The authors outline practical, accessible, and research-informed guidance for schools to tackle the persistent challenge of student attendance in education through high-quality partnerships with parents and community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change presents one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. Opportunities for inter-sectoral collaboration to drive climate solutions are beginning to emerge and mature with the higher education sector taking an active role in forging new partnerships. This article explores how climate resilience is a topic that can create innovative, bidirectional campus and community relationships and programs. The Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments, the Kresge-funded Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses and Communities (CRUX) project, and two campus case studies are cited as examples of how climate programs with a direct connection to surrounding communities-urban communities in particular-can open new pathways for engagement and accelerate climate solutions. A number of lessons drawn from these examples can help with new program design in the future. The lens of climate adaptation and resilience allows for the complementary strengths of higher education and surrounding communities to be utilized together, introduces new skill sets that are needed to drive climate action, and illustrates how alignment between the sectors could create more positive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]