PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Kaiser Permanente Media Relations
MediaCO@kp.org
September 9, 2026
$5 million investment targets Colorado’s school absence problem
Kaiser Permanente’s major commitment addresses chronic absence and teacher well-being. School districts are encouraged to reach out to learn more.
DENVER — Kaiser Permanente is launching a new large-scale, multiyear investment in Colorado schools, which includes a focus on the growing public health concern of student chronic absence.
Kaiser Permanente intends to invest more than $5 million in Colorado schools over the next 3 years and provide innovative new tools, resources, and wraparound support.
The commitment will also continue Kaiser Permanente’s leadership in addressing teacher and school staff well-being. This builds on resources that have already helped more than 50 Colorado school districts increase teacher and staff retention, as well as student engagement.
Colorado school districts are encouraged to reach out to discuss Kaiser Permanente’s emerging opportunities.
“At a time when Colorado’s school districts are struggling for resources to support teachers, staff, and students, we are stepping up to provide an ongoing commitment to address these pressing needs,” said Cortney Eisses, regional president of Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. “It’s exciting to see school districts building on work we started together decades ago, and we’re looking forward to beginning new relationships.”
The new chronic absence initiatives will give participating districts:
- New data tools to help track the reasons why students miss school, including health concerns
- Connections to community health providers and social health programs to help absent children get back to the classroom
- Grants and support to put the initiatives’ strategies into practice
Teacher and staff well-being opportunities will help districts:
- Directly address well-being through grants, tools, and support
- Map out their well-being environments, strengths, and opportunities through Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment support and donations
Why chronic absence is a public health issue
Colorado’s students are missing too many school days. Chronic absence is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year. The number of chronically absent Colorado kids grew from 19% about a decade ago to nearly 28% in the 2024 – 2025 school year according to the state’s recent reporting. This rate is higher than the national average of 24%.
Health issues are the number one reason students miss school. Chronic absence can signal conditions like uncontrolled asthma, emerging behavioral health concerns, or unmet social health needs like food or housing.
Kids who are chronically absent also have a higher risk of poorer long-term health.
“As the state’s largest nonprofit health plan and a leading medical provider, it’s part of our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Greg Berman, MD, president and executive medical director of Colorado Permanente Medical Group. “The health of our state depends on kids getting a good education, and we’re proud to make this significant commitment to supporting Colorado schools.”
Why districts need new attendance tools
School district attendance data is limited. If it’s hard to know why a student is absent, it’s also hard to address the root cause.
Kaiser Permanente is building new tools to address the data gap with national collaborators at Johns Hopkins Center for School Health and Attendance Works as part of its new Attendance as a Vital Sign initiative.
Kaiser Permanente is also supporting the American Academy of Pediatrics to create a set of clinical resources. The resources will equip pediatric clinicians performing routine care to identify and address health-driven causes of chronic absence.
Note: Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s grants and donations may be funded through the Kaiser Permanente Donor Advised Fund at the Denver Foundation or the East Bay Community Foundation.
