Goals for the Attendance Plan

1. A school's response for this section should be in SMART format for improving attendance for each category reported in the data tables.
• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic/Rewarding
• Timely
2. Address early grades at your school level (K & 1, 6th Grade, 9th Grade). Analyze school-wide data to determine needs at grade levels and times of year when challenges occur more often.

School attendance data are provided reporting percent of students with satisfactory attendance, at-risk attendance, chronic absenteeism, and severe chronic absenteeism. The two-year trend allows for comparison of attendance over time and an indication of how strategies implemented to improve attendance are working.

Goal 1:  In 2017/2018, overall chronic absenteeism at Eagle Point Elementary School was 8.13%, which was 5% below the district's average. The goal for 2018/2019 is to reduce the already low chronic absenteeism by at least 5%. 
Goal 2:  In 2017/2018, at-risk attendance (absent 5-9.9% of school days) was at 26.43%. The goal for 2018/2019 is to reduce the at-risk attendance by at least 2% by the end of the 2018/2019 school year. 
Goal 3: In 2017/2018 satisfactory was at 65.5%, which is above the district's average. goal for 2018/2019 is to maintain or increase satisfactory attendance across all grade levels. 

Tier 1 Strategies for Attendance

Tier 1 Strategies for Attendance - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 1 is aimed at 100% of students, parents, school staff, and community stakeholders. This is where you cast a wide net. Strategies are general to reach the largest audiences and include all employees and stakeholders.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

A. Monitor Data

• During teacher pre-planning week, the administrator responsible for school attendance trains teachers on proper attendance procedures and protocol
• Monitoring attendance-taking procedures will take place weekly by the Attendance Clerk and as requested by administration.
• School Social Worker monitors attendance data on a weekly basis and makes contact with students showing excessive tardies and .
• At the beginning of each month, the administrative team will request from the IMT to provide a report for current year attendance  to monitor improvement and steer the direction of attendance initiatives.

• School staff will be encouraged to reach out to parents by phone or email to remind parents about the importance of attendance in the early grades.
•  Front office staff will meet each month to discuss customer service responsibilities and adapt procedures for ensuring a welcoming environment when visitors enter the front office (students, parents, guests, District staff).
• School Twitter account will follow and re-Tweet relevant messages about attendance for our stakeholders. 
• The Attendance Phone line will be checked and cleared daily by the attendance clerk.

• The Guidance Counselor will ensure that students have opportunities to participate in District-wide Attendance recognition events (certificates, Miami Heat games, Florida Panthers, Miami Marlins, etc.)
• School-based attendance recognition events will occur yearly.  These will include certificates and school-based attendance recognition. 5th grade ceremony will be combined with honor roll assemblies.

• School staff will host a yearly Kindergarten Roundup for students moving from Pre-K into Kindergarten. Families will meet with Kindergarten teachers, tour the school, and learn about the importance of regular attendance for their child’s academic success. 
• At the beginning of each school year, a "meet and greet" session is held. Parents meet their child's teacher and hear about attendance procedures and the importance of regular school attendance. 
• Attendance will be included on all student report cards.
• Administrator responsible for school attendance will send home letters to parents about chronic absences throughout the school year.
• In student handbook, school administration has outlined specific procedures on how to request excused absences for family/personal reasons. 

• This school provides free breakfast for all students, every school day.
• A bike rack enclosed in a locked gate is available for students that arrive by bicycle.
• School staff works with parents to ensure  transportation is provided to eligible families to minimize abscences and/or tardies due to transportation issues. 
• School administrator informs parents of non-bus riders of available seats on school buses. 

Tier 2 Strategies and Interventions to Improve Attendance

Tier 2 Strategies and Interventions to Improve Attendance - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 2 identifies students using early warning indicators to make connections with students and families at the onset of the school year or emergence of patterns of non-attendance. Early warning indicators include prior year chronic absenteeism, 3 or more absences in the first 4 weeks of enrollment, more than 10% of school days absent in any time period from the beginning of enrollment.

- Tier 2 represents between 10-20% of students at all schools in Broward County. This is true at individual schools and across the District.

- Chronic Absenteeism: Absent for 10% or more school days. These absences include excused, unexcused, and suspensions as days of instruction missed.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

A. Monitor Data

• Data is continuously monitored for patterns of continued absences. 
• Each week, the leadership team will review the non-attendance report from Opti-Spool during leadership meetings. Students will be identified, and teachers will be notified which of their students might be at-risk.
• Weekly, using BASIS, the leadership team will identify students that have enough absences to be considered chronically absent.
• Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with support staff for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior.
• Social Worker will monitor attendance with school administrator in charge of attendacen, to help identify students that may have a need for more wrap-around services including a home visit.

•  Students and parents receive positive communications regarding the importance of good attendance through the school newsletter and morning announcements.  
• School Counselors, as part of the leadership team and support, will reach out to school social worker to speak with parents of chronically absent students to identify if any support is needed for the family. 
• If needed, parents and student will work with the School Counselor or School Social Worker to develop a personalized “Student Success Plan for Attendance” to make sure the child doesn’t miss too many days and get back on track with good attendance. There is a correlation between good attendance and good academic performance.
•  Staff will help identify any family needs and connect the family with services (food pantry, clothing assistance, literacy programs, transportation).

•  Recognize these students routinely for good and improved attendance. Positive reinforcement and trusting relationships with staff improve attendance.

•  Parent-Teacher Conferences with support staff will be scheduled to discuss absences and challenges to identify the barriers we may be able to assist with.
• The School Social Worker is called on to intervene when necessary.

• Involve public agencies, community partners, and resources as needed to address barriers identified through parent conferences, communications with family, or other sources.
•  Involve the school nurse when necessary to follow-up on medically related absences and train staff to recognize signs of illness.
•  Connect families with the School Social Worker to provide services as needed. 

Tier 3 Interventions

Tier 3 Interventions - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 3 is the highest level of intervention and support for students that are absent 20% or more school days during the year.

- At most schools, Tier 3 interventions are utilized for about 5% (or less) of the student population.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

A. Monitor Data 

• Attendance Manager and Administrator assigned to attendance monitors data from BASIS  to identify students missing 20% or more of school. 

• School social worker referral to appropriate service agencies. 
• The Broward Truancy Intervention Plan (BTIP) may initiate truancy letters to hold 5-day or 10-day meetings with the parents, principal (or designee). 

• For the students at Tier 3, appropriate positive reinforcements will be included in their “Attendance Success Plan” to support continued improved attendance. This plan will be developed with the parents, School Counselor, and School Social Worker. Plans and goals will be shared with the child’s teachers. 
• Tangible incentives may be utilized to help students and parents improve attendance.

• Ensure continued positive and regular contact with the family.
• Check-in on “Attendance Success Plans” and communicate with parents at regular intervals. If the plan is not referenced regularly with positive reinforcement, the plan is not being supported.
• Consult with the School Social Worker as a resource for helping families with attendance problems.
•  When the student misses school, ensure the assigned personnel is following up on each absence.

• Implement agreed upon family intervention plan. Monitor for progress.
• Connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers.
• For cases of suspected abuse, neglect or endangerment, appropriate agencies will be contacted.