Table of content
Boost Attendance!
Chronic absenteeism is a huge challenge for schools right now, with the number of students missing 10% or more of school days (around a whole month) skyrocketing from 15% in 2018 to 26% in 2023! But don’t worry—there are ways to turn things around.
Schools that create positive, welcoming classrooms, where students feel seen and supported, have a much better chance of keeping kids coming back. Strong teacher-student relationships and programs that focus on building social-emotional skills (like how to manage stress, build friendships, and resolve conflicts) are total game changers. These approaches don't only boost attendance but also help lower suspension rates and even prevent students from dropping out. Schools that make these practices a priority are seeing real results, creating an atmosphere in which students actually want to be!

Tackle Behavior!
Disruptive behaviors can really throw off the vibe in the classroom, making it harder for everyone to focus and learn. Plus, they ramp up stress and safety concerns for everyone involved—students, teachers, administrators, and even parents. After students returned to in-person learning post-COVID, things took a turn for the worst, with behavioral issues shooting through the roof. Teachers found themselves struggling to handle tantrums, aggression, kids running off, emotional meltdowns, bullying, and more. In response, schools have upped the use of disciplinary actions like suspensions, but that approach is not without its problems. For example, in New York City Public Schools, suspensions jumped by 27%, and Washington, D.C. saw a 16% spike. The impact is even more severe for Black students and other marginalized groups—in California, Black students are suspended at a rate 2.5 times higher than their peers. A recent study by Prothero (2023) showed that 70% of teachers reported a noticeable rise in behavioral issues after the pandemic. The bottom line? The pandemic may be over, but its aftershocks are still very much felt in the classroom, with everyone looking for better ways to restore order and support students.

Bullying is a big deal for a lot of parents and teens. In fact, 35% of U.S. parents say they’re super worried about their child being bullied (with another 39% somewhat concerned). And teens are feeling it too—over half say online bullying and harassment are a major issue, while another 40% say it’s still a problem, just not as huge. At school, around 22% of students admit they’ve been bullied, with girls (25%), middle schoolers (28%), and rural students (28%) seeing the most bullying. Where does most of this happen? Surprisingly, it’s not in the hallways or lunchrooms, but right in the classroom (47%). Looks like there’s more to worry about than just math homework!
Supercharge Student Engagement with moozoom!
Research shows that SEL (social-emotional learning) is a secret ingredient for schools, boosting academic performance, improving attendance, and making everyone—from students to staff—feel safer and happier. In fact, creating a positive school climate isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must if we want students to stay engaged, motivated, and ready to learn. The problem? Most SEL programs are so complicated and time-consuming that busy educators just can’t keep up.
That is, until moozoom entered the room! Unlike those other programs, moozoom makes SEL fun, easy, and effective. It uses high-quality, movie-like videos that show students how to handle real-life situations, with peer role models leading the way. It cuts down on the prep and teaching time for educators while keeping students engaged. Teachers using moozoom are seeing fewer behavior problems and conflicts, as kids learn to resolve issues, practice self-regulation, and make responsible choices. It’s SELwith a Hollywood twist!


In a recent pilot study, over 4,000 teachers using moozoom’s SEL platform during the 2023-2024 school year shared monthly updates on how their classrooms were doing, and the results are pretty exciting!
In over just four months, teachers saw huge improvements in their ability to teach and in how well students were managing emotions, getting along with others, and resolving conflicts. Students were even more ready to learn, all with a statistically significant boost (p<.01, for the data lovers out there!).
These early findings show that moozoom isn’t just another SEL program—it’s helping create real, positive changes in the classroom, making life easier for teachers and better for students. With results like this, moozoom could be a game-changer for improving school climate and well-being for everyone involved!

References
- Hess, R. (2024). Chronic Absenteeism Could Be the Biggest Problem Facing Schools Right Now. EdWeek. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-chronic-absenteeism-could-be-the-biggest-problem-facing-schools-right-now/2024/02?s_kwcid=AL!6416!3!602270476281!!!g!!&utm_source=goog&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ew+dynamic+recent&ccid=dynamic+ads+recent+articles&ccag=recent+articles+dynamic&cckw=&cccv=dynamic+ad&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8rW2BhAgEiwAoRO5rJLKcHhX7Y5PhWTsWX8ydGAD9N1UatwqrLxI-LGBvMsPOUJd6fBGuhoCYgoQAvD_BwE
- Attendance Works (2024). Chronic Absence: The Problem. https://www.attendanceworks.org/chronic-absence/the-problem/
- Jordan, P. (2023). Attendance Playbook: Smart Strategies for Reducing Student Absenteeism Post-Pandemic. Future Ed and Attendance Works. https://www.future-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Attendance-Playbook.5.23.pdf
- California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (2022). Understanding District Successes and Challenges in Reducing Chronic Absenteeism and Implication for Statewide Supports. https://ccee-ca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Chronic-Absenteeism-Brief_2022.08.19.pdf
- Darling-Hammond, L. & DePaoli, J. (2020). Why School Climate Matters and What Can Be Done to Improve It. National Association of State Boards of Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1257654.pdf
- National Criminal Justice Association (2023). School Suspensions, Discipline Policies Ramp Up After COVID-19. https://www.ncja.org/crimeandjusticenews/school-suspensions-discipline-policies-ramp-up-after-covid-19
- Prothero, A. (2023). Student Behavior Isn’t Getting Any Better, Survey Shows. EdWeek. Student Behavior Isn’t Getting Any Better, Survey Shows (edweek.org)
- Schaeffer, K. (2023). 9 facts about bullying in the U.S. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/17/9-facts-about-bullying-in-the-us/
- Cardona, M.A. & Neas, K. (2021). Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs. Department of Education. https://www2.ed.gov/documents/students/supporting-child-student-social-emotional-behavioral-mental-health.pdf
- Williford, A. P., & Wolcott, C. S. (2015). SEL and Student-Teacher Relationships. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice (pp. 229–243). The Guilford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-24776-015
- Cipriano, C., Strambler, M., & Ha, C. (2023). Research Finds Social and Emotional Learning Produces Significant Benefits for Students. Yale School of Medicine. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/new-research-published-in-child-development-confirms-social-and-emotional-learning-significantly-improves-student-academic-performance-well-being-and-perceptions-of-school-safety/