Battelle today announced its new participation in the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network (SITG!) with the intention to impact more than 300,000 Ohio students by supporting districts and schools to dramatically improve attendance. Along with founding partners the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Harvard’s Proving Ground and support from the Columbus Crew and the Cleveland Browns, Battelle will help get students in school every day. Battelle will be the new ‘Network backbone,’ hosting SITG! operations.

"Education is the foundation upon which we build our future, and at Battelle, we are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed," said Lou Von Thaer, President and CEO of Battelle. "Our partnership with the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network is a strategic investment to reduce chronic absenteeism and foster a culture of consistent school attendance. Together, we can help students succeed."

The effort continues Battelle’s already successful efforts at impacting more than 1 million students a year with positive STEM experiences. Battelle will provide SITG! Access to systems, partners and allied organizations with the commitment to emphasizing attendance as a foundational pillar for academic achievement. With a strong commitment to fostering diversity in education, Battelle's new role signals a significant commitment in addressing chronic absenteeism and advancing student outcomes in Ohio and across the country.

Starting July 1, Battelle will serve as the fiscal agent and point of contact for the SITG! coordinating and facilitating activities and initiatives with partner school districts and sports teams. Currently operated by the Cleveland Browns Foundation, SITG! has grown from thirteen districts at its start during the 2019-2020 school year to now expecting more than 100 districts for the 2024-25 school year. This significant growth has outpaced the Foundation’s ability to house the effort on its own, so Battelle and the other founding partners will provide leadership, support, and resources to help achieve the network’s goal to have 90% of all Ohio students attending school more than 90% of the time by 2030.

"We are excited to announce Battelle, a renowned organization in the education space, as our new host for the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network," said Dee Haslam, Managing and Principal Partner of Haslam Sports Group. "Alongside our partners, we are dedicated to improving school attendance in school districts throughout Ohio. We are confident that Battelle will be instrumental in helping the Network achieve its goals in Ohio and beyond as we continue to expand."

During the 2022-2023 school year SITG! districts on average lowered their chronic absenteeism by 5.2%, according to the 2022-2023 Ohio State Report Card compared to 3.4% as a state. SITG! significantly outperformed the state with 41% of SITG! districts lowering chronic absenteeism by 8.5-10.9%, exemplifying the positive effect that the SITG! is having on Ohio’s students.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.

About the Stay in The Game! Attendance Network

Launched in 2019 by the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Harvard’s Proving Ground, the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network works together to campaign, connect, and convene with experts and supporters to increase attendance in Ohio. The Stay in The Game! Attendance Network is expecting to support over 100 districts and over 300,000 students during the 2024-2025 school year through localized, data-informed attendance campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the importance of school attendance as a foundation for student success and identifying barriers to attendance.

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