Jayne Demsky is the visionary founder of the School Avoidance Alliance, a national leader in addressing school avoidance through education, advocacy, and professional development. For over a decade, Jayne has championed families and schools navigating the complex challenges of chronic absenteeism, transforming how educators and caregivers support school-avoidant students.

In 2014, driven by personal experience and the urgent need for resources, Jayne established the School Avoidance Alliance. The organization emerged from the turmoil of her son’s struggles with chronic school avoidance, filling a critical gap in support, education, and systemic understanding.

Jayne is also a founding member of Attendance USA, a national initiative focused on improving student attendance and engagement through collaborative, data-informed strategies. She is the author of Overcoming School Avoidance: What to Do When Your Kid Won’t Go to School, published by Hachette Book Group—a practical guide that has become a vital resource for parents and professionals alike.

Today, the School Avoidance Alliance is the premier resource for school avoidance professional development across the United States. Its flagship course, Everything You Need to Know to Get Your Students Back to School, has transformed the approach of countless school districts, helping them reengage students and restore learning. The parent course, School Avoidance Master Class for Parents, has empowered families nationwide with tools, knowledge, and hope.

Jayne’s leadership and the Alliance’s contributions have garnered national attention, with features in major outlets including USA Today, Education Week, The Washington Post, EdSurge, ADDitude Magazine, Attendance Works, Fox News, Good Morning Arizona, and CBS News.