ROANOKE, Va. — Top officials with the Virginia Department of Education hoped to glean some insight about new challenges school communities are facing every day during a listening session last night at William Fleming High School.

Meeting with Roanoke-area teachers and parents, state public instruction superintendent Lisa Coons said that student “readiness” is a concern in most districts – with chronic absenteeism growing to levels that could affect a school’s accreditation.

One unnamed teacher said that the onus is on them to call parents, visit homes and communicate the importance of attending school, but there’s only so much they can do to get kids in the classroom.

So far, 114 school districts have submitted spending plans through Virginia’s $418 million “All In VA” program.

Rockingham County Schools will spend nearly $138,000 each of the next three fiscal years to hire a Supervisor of Truancy and School Attendance.

Meanwhile, Harrisonburg City Public Schools is allocating $99,500 this fiscal year, and $275,000 in 2025 and ’26 to hire an Attendance Support Liaison along with other support staff, and establish a Family and Community Engagement Department.