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Hey there from the KUOW Newsroom. This is Seattle Now. I'm Patricia Murphy. Here are today's

top stories. It's Tuesday, September 3rd.

Washington State has one of the worst school absenteeism rates in the nation. As students head back this fall, districts are hoping to reverse the trend. Sammy West reports.

Chronic absenteeism is when a student misses 10% of the school year. A recent associated press analysis looked at attendance during the 2022-23 year. In Washington,

three in 10 students were chronically absent. That's double pre-pandemic levels. For example,

in the Highline District, just south of Seattle,

chronic absenteeism spiked at nearly 50% in 2021, and improvement has been slow.

Lita O'Donnell is the district's director of family engagement. She says they're trying to reach out

to families more to boost attendance. Family connections is so important because it helps us on an

individual level meet families where they are and set up a plan to help their kids be in school.

She says the district is especially focused on students who have disengaged from school

and wants everyone to keep their absences under five days. Sammy West, KUOW News.

What could be Washington State's final carbon auction takes place tomorrow.

Auctions of permits to emit large amounts of carbon dioxide have raised more than $2 billion

over the past year and a half. Conservative activists have put an initiative on the

...