Mighty Minutes

Our nation is facing a crisis in early literacy. A growing body of research documents how many young students—as early as preschool—are chronically absent, and how these missed days translate into weaker reading skills as early as the fourth grade.

The Mighty Minutes Attendance Incentive Program was developed to support Rochester City School District teachers and families in the effort to reduce chronic absenteeism. Prior to our involvement, the program was struggling to achieve the hoped-for results. Zimmet Group identified a critical gap: teacher engagement.

We developed targeted learning experiences to encourage teachers to fully adopt the program. After all, they are the key to ensuring its success! As a result of our efforts, the Mighty Minutes Attendance Incentive Program gained momentum, positively impacting the lives of hundreds of students.

Working from research and pilot feedback, Zimmet Group created a high-impact video that tells the Mighty Minutes Program story. Interviews with teachers and students humanize the program, making its potential impact even more tangible. The video is used as a kickoff to an engaging session that immerses teachers in their Mighty Minutes role.

Following the video, teachers experience a series of games and hands-on activities. By the end of the session, teachers have activated their Mighty Minutes accounts and are prepared with strategies they can take into their classrooms—immediately.

Additional take-away resources help them stay on track. As an additional incentive, a rewards program was put in place to help successful classrooms celebrate their improved attendance.