What's Happening?
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), in collaboration with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), has initiated a statewide student art competition titled 'The Art of Attendance.' This contest invites K-12 students across Rhode Island to
creatively express what motivates them to attend school. Governor Dan McKee and Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced the program, which aims to highlight the importance of school attendance, belonging, and engagement through student artwork. The initiative seeks to gather student perspectives on how schools foster learning, growth, creativity, and future success. Finalists from elementary, middle, and high school levels will have their work displayed in a public exhibition at RIDE headquarters in February 2027, with award winners recognized at the Rhode Island State House in March 2027 during the annual Arts in Our Schools Month celebration. The competition guidelines and submission details are available on the attendancemattersri.org/artofattendance website.
Why It's Important?
This art competition is a strategic effort to address and improve student attendance rates across Rhode Island. Chronic absenteeism has been a significant concern, and RIDE's 'Attendance Matters RI' campaign has already made progress, reducing chronic absenteeism by 14.4 percentage points from pandemic-era highs and recovering approximately 4.4 million instructional hours. By engaging students directly through art, the program aims to foster a sense of connection and ownership over their educational journey, which research suggests can lead to stronger school engagement and improved attendance. The initiative also underscores the vital role of arts education in student development, providing a creative outlet for expression while reinforcing the value of consistent school presence. This approach could serve as a model for other states looking for innovative ways to tackle attendance challenges and promote student well-being.
What's Next?
Students in grades K-12 across Rhode Island are encouraged to submit their original two-dimensional artwork responding to the prompt, 'What makes you show up for school?' Art teachers are tasked with engaging their school communities and selecting up to two pieces per school for submission to RIDE. The submitted artworks will be evaluated, and finalists will be chosen across elementary, middle, and high school categories. These finalists will have their work showcased in a public exhibition at RIDE headquarters in February 2027. Subsequently, award winners will be honored at the Rhode Island State House in March 2027 as part of the Arts in Our Schools Month celebration. The initiative will continue to monitor its impact on student attendance and engagement, potentially informing future educational strategies and art-based programs.
Beyond the Headlines
The 'Art of Attendance' competition delves deeper than simply encouraging students to show up; it seeks to understand the underlying factors that motivate or deter school attendance from the students' own perspectives. By inviting students to articulate 'what makes you show up for school,' the program aims to gather qualitative insights that can inform more effective educational policies and support systems. This approach recognizes that attendance is not merely a compliance issue but is deeply intertwined with student well-being, engagement, and a sense of belonging. The emphasis on arts education also highlights its often-underestimated role in fostering critical thinking, emotional expression, and overall academic success, suggesting a broader shift towards integrating creative disciplines into core educational strategies to achieve holistic student development.
