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.

• The kindergarten percentage of chronic absenteeism increased from 21% at the end of the 1st semester 2017-2018 to 28% at the end of the second semester school year 2017-2018. We will address  this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in kindergarten by 8% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.
• The first grade percentage of chronic absenteeism increased from 13% at the end of the 1st semester 2017-2018 to 17% at the end of the second semester school year 2017-2018. We will address this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in 1st grade by 8% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.
• The second-grade percentage of chronic absenteeism increased from 12% at the end of the 1st semester 2017-2018 to 16% at the end of the second semester school year 2017-2018. We will address this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in second grade by 6% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.
• The third-grade percentage of chronic absenteeism increased from 13% at the end of the 1st semester 2017-2018 to 20% at the end of the second semester school year 2017-2018. We will address this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in third grade by 7% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.
• The fourth-grade percentage of chronic absenteeism decreased from 13% at the end of the 1st semester 2017*2018 to 12% at  the end of the second semester school year 2016-2017. We will continue this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in fourth grade by 1% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.
• The fifth-grade percentage of chronic absenteeism increased from 12% at the end of the 1st semester 2017-2018 to 22% at the end of the second semester school year 2017-2018. We will address this trend by decreasing the chronic absenteeism in fifth grade by 10% by the end of the second semester for the 2018-2019 school year.

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

• The attendance team, which consists of the IMT/ Attendance Manager, Assistant Principal, School Counselor and School Social Worker, meets regularly to analyze student data and trends using current attendance reports from BASIS and Data Warehouse.
• Adminstration and the IMT/ Attendance Manager ensure that all staff members responsible for school attendance are trained using the District Brainshark and maintain a record of completion. 

• The front office is welcoming to all stakeholders and answers questions and concerns promptly and accurately.
• Parent Link calls the homes of all absent students daily. 
• The attendance line and absence notices are monitored daily by the IMT/ Attendance Manager (General Clerk provides back-up). 
• All school staff recieve training on family engagement and customer service strategies, including contacting families in the event of student's repeated or unexplained absence and/or pattern of tardies. 
• The attendance line is indicated in the first day packet, placed on the school's website and published in the quarterly newsletter.  

• Students with improved or perfect attendance are celebrated at our quarterly Honor Roll Assemblies (Grades 3-5) with a certificate of recognition.
• Students are invited to participate in District-sponsored recognition events (i.e. Miami Heat Nights).

• Student-specific attendance data, including days present, absent and tardy, are included on report cards, interims and parent conference forms. 
• Attendance policies and instructions for using the attendance line are communicated during Open House, Kindergarten RoundUp and school tours.
• The benefits of regular school attendance on positive school outcomes is communicated through school newsletters and during Family Nights. 

• School staff works to build strong relationships with all students and to create a positive, engaging school climate.
• As a Title 1 School, we serve universal free breakfast for all students from 7:15-7:45 each morning.
• Facility service personnel are alerted to sanitize classrooms when there are many ill students in the same class. 

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

Monitor Data

• The leadership team monitors absenteeism and interventions by student using BASIS during weekly meetings. 
• Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with leadership team for support. 

• School staff will work with identified families to provided support and connection with community services as needed (i.e. transportation, clothing, food, school supplies, family counseling, etc.). 
• Positive contact with the family is maintained through teacher, counselor, and assistant principal.

• The attendance team works with students and families to set goals for improving attendance.
• Students are recognized routinely during classroom and school-wide positive reinforcement. 

• During Collaborative Problem Solving Team meetings, the School Social Worker will monitor attendance and provide support to families as needed.
• Teachers will address attendance concerns during parent-teacher conferences and consult School Counselor and/or Social Worker as needed.

• Connect families with School Social Worker, community services and other resources as needed to address identified barriers to regular school attendance.
• School Nurse is responsible for following up on medically related absences and training school staff as needed to recognize/ intervene.

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

Monitor Data

• Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing more than 20% of a school year). Leadership and Attendance Team will monitor targeted interventions. 
• Students are monitored through the Collaborative Problem-Solving Team (CPST) and Response-to-Intervention (RtI) process.

• Referrals to supportive services as determined appropriate (i.e. School Social Worker, HEART, rent assistance, family counseling, etc.) 
• The Broward Truancy Intervention Plan (BTIP) may initiate truancy letters to hold 5-day or 10-day meetings with the parents, principal (or designee), District representative, and State Attorney’s Office for the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. 

• Provide tangible incentives through attendance agreement and School-Wide Positive Behavior Plan. 

• Maintain regular and positive contact with the family. 
• School Social Worker works with families to create and monitor an attendance agreement. 
• Subsequent absences are followed up on promptly. 

• Utilize a release of information to communicate between school and outside agencies.