How a California school district is beating the odds on student absences
How a California school district is beating the odds on student absences

The pandemic is long gone, but it’s having a lingering impact on children. Five years ago, when COVID-19 hit, schools closed and kids were taught remotely. When schools reopened, chronic absenteeism skyrocketed. Elizabeth Cook reports on what one district is doing about it.
Read the full article on CBS US
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article is mostly accurate, focusing on the issue of chronic absenteeism and highlighting a California school district's efforts to address it. The article exhibits a slight positive bias towards the district being featured, emphasizing its success. Some claims are not directly verifiable with the provided sources, but the core narrative appears sound.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** The pandemic is having a lingering impact on children, with chronic absenteeism skyrocketing after schools reopened.
- Verification Source #1: *Fails to cover* this specific claim, but discusses chronic absence.
- Verification Source #2: *Fails to cover* this specific claim.
- Verification Source #3: *Fails to cover* this specific claim.
- Verification Source #4: *Fails to cover* this specific claim.
- Verification Source #5: *Fails to cover* this specific claim.
- Internal Knowledge:* This claim aligns with general knowledge and reporting on the impact of the pandemic on education.
- Claim:** A California school district is "beating the odds" on student absences.
- Verification Source #1: Supports the general concept of districts "beating the odds" regarding attendance.
- Verification Source #2: Mentions "California's Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds."
- Verification Source #4: Mentions "California's Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds."
- Verification Source #5: Mentions schools "beating-the-odds" by performing better academically.
- Claim:** The Long Beach Unified School District is the district being highlighted.
- Verification Source #3: States "The Long Beach Unified School District has earned a national and international reputation as one of America's finest school systems."
- Internal Knowledge:* While not explicitly stated in the snippet, based on the CBS News video and the reference to Long Beach Unified School District's reputation, it can be inferred that this is the district being highlighted.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Verification Source #1: Supports the idea that school districts can improve attendance rates despite challenges.
- Verification Source #2: Supports the idea that some California districts are "beating the odds."
- Verification Source #3: Supports the idea that Long Beach Unified School District is a high-performing district.
- Verification Source #4: Supports the idea that some California districts are "beating the odds."
- Verification Source #5: Supports the idea that some schools are "beating-the-odds" by performing better academically.
- The provided sources do not contradict each other. The main limitation is that the snippet is short, and the specific strategies used by the district to improve attendance are not detailed in the provided text or directly verifiable with the provided sources.