Superintendent Dr. Misty Slavic says the Auburn Enlarged City School District is off to a strong start this school year, but remains focused on three key issues: Improving student attendance, strengthening district identity through a new 100% initiative, and preparing for financial uncertainty tied to federal and state funding.
Dr. Slavic discussed these priorities on the Oct. 7 episode of Inside Government with host Guy Cosentino, outlining the district’s strategies and challenges as the 2025-26 school year unfolds.
Tackling chronic absenteeism head-on
Dr. Slavic said attendance across Auburn’s schools has improved slightly from last year, but chronic absenteeism remains a concern — particularly among high school students. The district has taken a more public and proactive approach, posting building attendance rates on social media to raise awareness among families.
“The big idea behind it is to bring it to parents’ attention,” she said. “A lot of our younger students aren’t choosing to stay home — their parents are. We just want to remind families how critical it is to be in school.”
Each school has its own intervention strategies. Principals, counselors, and school resource officers have already conducted more than 20 home visits this fall to check on students missing significant time. Many absences, Slavic said, stem from anxiety, health issues, or housing instability.
“You can’t learn, you can’t grow unless you’re physically in school,” she said, noting that attendance rates are generally in the high-80s to low-90s range across the district.
Building unity through the “100%” initiative
The superintendent also highlighted the district’s new slogan — “Giving 100%, 100% of the time” — a culture and climate campaign aimed at unifying Auburn’s schools.
With each elementary school sporting its own mascot, Slavic said many students lose a sense of identity once they reach the junior high level, where the district’s traditional “Maroons” moniker lacks a visual mascot.
After discussions with teachers over the summer, the district launched the 100% initiative to give both staff and students a shared sense of pride. On “Maroon Mondays,” staff across all buildings wear donated T-shirts displaying the new slogan, and students are recognized as “100% Ambassadors” for embodying effort, respect, and perseverance.
“It’s not about being a straight-A student,” Slavic said. “It’s about trying your best — whatever your 100% looks like.”
Watching Washington and Albany for funding shifts
Dr. Slavic said the district’s finances are stable for now, but she’s watching developments in Washington, D.C., closely — including talk of education department restructuring and federal funding cuts. Auburn, a Title I district where about 64% of students qualify under federal poverty guidelines, receives significant aid from Washington.
While the district has not yet felt the impact of the recent federal budget impasse, Slavic said any prolonged disruption could create problems later this year. “If it continues for months, we could see that,” she said.
She also warned that inflation, state aid uncertainty, and expiring pandemic-era funding could tighten next year’s budget. “Most of our budget is salaries and benefits,” she said. “There’s not much you can do with that unless you start to eliminate staff — and that’s not a direction we want to go.”
For now, Slavic said the district is planning conservatively while continuing to prioritize student support and staff retention. “We all want the same thing — what’s best for our students,” she said. “That’s what 100%, 100% of the time is really about.”
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