States have an essential guiding role in the collection and use of attendance data. State guidance ensures that attendance is taken daily in a consistent manner and is monitored to detect and address inequitable access to learning opportunities. The recent shift to distance and blended learning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the collection and utilization of attendance data. This report is a call to action to states to support the collection and use of attendance data. This data is an invaluable tool for examining which students are participating, which need additional support to engage in school, and which schools, districts or student groups are most affected by absenteeism. It discusses how the coronavirus pandemic impacted attendance data, and through an online scan of state restart and reopening plans, memos and relevant legislation, examines the extent to which recent state guidance guarantees the availability of consistent, reliable data taken on a daily basis. The report also offers recommendations for state action. [This brief was made possible by the support of GRoW @ Annenberg.]