Mobile App Lets Parents Instantly Know About Student Absences

New York City schools may pilot a new mobile app this summer that provides parents with nearly instantaneous notifications if their students are tardy or absent from class.

Founders of Kinvolved, the company behind the app, say it's intended to encourage parents to become more engaged in their children's academic lives. In New York City, nearly a quarter of students miss a month of school each year. Students with high absentee rates are less likely to graduate, and Kinvolved founders note that students whose parents are involved have higher attendance rates. Their expectation is that the program can help increase graduating rates by helping parents make sure their children are in school.