City Heights elementary school with improved attendance celebrates at SeaWorld

For nearly six decades, Hamilton Elementary in San Diego faced high rates of chronic absenteeism.

Over the 2022-2023 school year, 37% of students were chronically absent, missing more than 10% of the school year. That rate dropped to 6.9% during the 2025-2026 school year, surpassing the school’s goal and leading to the field trip to SeaWorld.

Hamilton’s strategy to get attendance up was asking parents and students what they needed to make it happen. When parents said they needed bus passes or students wanted sports on campus to give them something to look forward to, admin put it in place.

Hamilton is in San Diego Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera’s district. He said this attendance growth is especially impressive given the climate these kids are living in.

“They’ve seen people in our community attacked. They’ve seen what’s going on across the country. And there are families who have really struggled to figure out how to get their kids to school and feel safe,” he said. “Folks are willing to drive other people’s kids to school or walk in the schools to make sure they get there.”

Community is why attendance is up despite the circumstances.

“We’re coming together, you know, and we’re in it together, no matter what,” parent Tammy Kim said.

With this attendance win, the next goal Hamilton will set its sights on is improving literacy rates.