In recognition of National Attendance Awareness Month, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Rang Rewards, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) today announced a new partnership to positively reward and reinforce improved student attendance across the District of Columbia through rewards and experiences for students and families. Applications are open and the program will launch in January 2027 with an initial cohort of up to 10,000 students drawn from approximately 15 DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools, with the goal of building a foundation to expand access to schools and students across the city.
DC has reduced chronic absenteeism by 9 percentage points since its pandemic-era peak, outpacing most comparable cities, however chronic absenteeism remains one of the most pressing challenges facing DC schools. In the previous school year, 39.5 percent of DC students were chronically absent, a rate that climbs to 57.6 percent among high schoolers, according to 2024-25 school year data from the OSSE Attendance Dashboard. Research consistently links improved attendance to stronger academic outcomes, higher graduation rates, and greater long-term opportunity.
As a Tier 1 attendance intervention, Rang provides broad, positive reinforcement while allowing school staff to focus more intensive, relationship-driven support on students and families with greater needs. In the previous school year, school districts around the country using Rang reduced chronic absenteeism by an average of six percentage points.
Beginning today, interested DC school leaders can apply to join the inaugural cohort of Rang pilot schools. Applications are open through October 31 and include asking schools to describe how they are able to implement this new attendance initiative, the primary attendance challenge the school faces that the partnership will address, and how the program would exist at the school.
As the state education agency, OSSE will support the partnership by working with Rang to select the schools in the pilot cohort – with consideration given to schools serving a range of communities and performance levels, including schools identified for additional state support.
Schools selected through the new partnership will be announced in December 2026.
MSE will be the pilot program’s inaugural corporate partner, helping launch the initiative by contributing rewards like team merchandise and tickets to select games, events, and other experiences to the Rang platform. MSE will also work with Rang to engage the broader DC area business community and drive additional corporate partnerships as the pilot program progresses.
The pilot cohort will reflect the diversity of DC schools and students, allowing Rang and its partners to develop further insights on where the program can have the greatest impact as it scales. Students and families from selected schools will be able to earn recognition for measurable attendance improvement once the program begins in January. Attendance data will be synced nightly into the Rang platform, and students with positive attendance can redeem rewards from MSE —including tickets to live events, memorable experiences, merchandise from MSE’s teams, e‑gift cards, and more—directly through the platform.
“Improving student attendance requires a comprehensive approach that addresses barriers and recognizes progress,” said Antoinette Mitchell, State Superintendent of Education. “Schools are working hard to address barriers to regular attendance. This public-private partnership is an additional tool to recognize progress, reinforce positive attendance habits, and build on the important work in schools already underway.”
“MSE has a longstanding commitment to empowering and inspiring the next generation of our region’s leaders, whether through our District of Play youth sports campaign, new playspaces and refurbished sports facilities, or simply the life-long memories created by attending an event at our venues,” said Monica Dixon, President of External Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “We are excited to continue building on this commitment with our support of the Rang pilot program in the District, using our teams, events, and experiences to recognize students’ progress, and look forward to working with other business leaders to expand this worthwhile initiative.”
“We’re thrilled to work alongside the incredible people and organizations across DC who are rallying around students, families, and schools to address one of public education’s most important challenges,” said Brian Malkin, Co-founder and CEO of Rang. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to play a small part in that collective effort by helping recognize student progress and connecting families with memorable experiences across the city.”
This inaugural cohort will launch in January 2027 along with a waitlist for schools not chosen for this cohort to join in fall 2027. This partnership is not designed to address every underlying cause, but rather to complement broader efforts to improve attendance and strengthen students’ and families’ connections to school.
While the Rang program takes historical attendance patterns into account when recognizing improvement, all students within participating schools will have the opportunity to participate, ensuring equitable access.
School leaders can apply and learn more at: Rang SY26-27 Partnership Application
A public kickoff event celebrating the inaugural cohort and program launch will follow this winter, ahead of the January start.
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About the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia, responsible for setting high educational standards, supporting educators, expanding opportunities for all learners from birth to adulthood, administering federal funds, and ensuring accountability for results.
About Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) is one of the leading integrated sports and entertainment companies globally. MSE’s portfolio spans premier professional sports teams, world-class venues, and next-generation media properties, with marquee assets including the NHL’s Washington Capitals, NBA’s Washington Wizards, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, NBA G League’s Capital City Go-Go, Capital One Arena, and Monumental Sports Network, along with an investment in Team Liquid.
Rooted in the nation’s capital, MSE brings Washington, DC’s distinct influence, ambition, and leadership to the global sports and entertainment landscape. The company harnesses the power of its platform to drive continuous innovation and deliver extraordinary experiences that inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. For additional information on MSE, please visit monumentalsports.com.
About Rang
Rang is a rewards platform that helps schools positively recognize and reinforce improved student attendance - a top issue facing public education today. Rang partners with professional sports teams, consumer brands, and local businesses to reward students and families for measurable attendance improvement with tickets to live events, experiences, gift cards, and more. Rang launched in Chicago and today partners with public school districts and charter networks across Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Texas. Learn more at www.rang.com.