This report summarizes recent research on factors relating to excessive student absenteeism, the effects of absenteeism on pupil achievement, and the effects of instruction, positive reinforcement, and parent-school involvement on attendance. Actual proposals, policies, and programs from 16 school systems in 12 states are included. Much of the report is devoted to discussing strategies for improving school attendance patterns and to describing sample policies and programs that schools throughout the country have implemented to address the problems of student absenteeism.