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.

In 2017/18, the grade level with the most students with chronic absence was 1st grade with 49 total students (33 chronic absence and 6 severe chronic absence). In 1st grade, our goal is to reduce the number of students with chronic absenteeism by 5 students (about 13%) for the 2018/19 school year. 

Overall chronic absence in 2017/18 was 18.7% (14.39% chronic, 4.24% severe chronic). Our goal is to reduce overall chronic absence by 5% (about 6 students). 

In 2017/18, 5th grade had the highest level of students with satisfactory attendance with 62.81% of students attending 95% or more school days. The goal for satisfactory attendance is to increase the percentage of students attending 95% or more in every grade level by the end of 2018/19. 

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

Monitor Data: The administrator responsible for school attendance will ensure that all teachers have completed the Brainshark training for taking classroom attendance at the elementary level (K-5). The administrator should maintain a record of teachers 
Engage Students and Families: 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 to discuss customer service responsibilities and adapt procedures for ensuring a welcoming environment when visitors enter the front office (students, parents, guests, District staff). 
Recognize Good and Improved Attendance: The administrator responsible for attendance will ensure that students have opportunitites to participate in District-wide Attendance recognition events (certificates, Miami Heat games, Florida Panthers, Miami Marlins, etc.)
Provide Personalization Outreach: School staff will host a transition meeting for students moving from Pre-K into Kindergarten. Families will meet the team of teachers, tour the school, and learn about the importance of regular attendance for their child's academic success through their senior year. 
Remove Barriers: This school provides free breakfast for all students, every school day.

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: Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with support staff for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior. School counselor will monitor attendance with the leadership team to help identify students that may have a need for more wrap-around services. 
Engaged Students and Families: If needed, parents and student will work with the school counselor and 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.  Staff will help identify any family needs and connect the family with services (food pantry, clothing assistance, literacy programs, transportation). 
Recognize Good and Improved Attendance: Recognize students routinely for good and improved attendance. Positive reinforcement and trusting relationships with staff improve attendance. 
Provide Personalized Outreach: 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. 
Remove Barriers: Involve public agencies, community partners, and resources as needed to address barriers identified through parent conferences, communications with family, or other sources. 

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 studnets with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing more than 20% of a school year). Attendance data is one of the main metrics brought to discussion for Collborative Problem-Solving Team (CPST) and Response-to-Intervention (RtI). Attendance data may help uncover bigger issues the student or family are experiencing. 
Engage Students and Families: Refer students to appropriate service agencies (social services, human resources, counseling, housing, the HEART team for homeless education, or health services). 
Recognize Good and Improved Attendance: Tangible incentives may be utilized to help students and parents improve attendance. 
Provide Personalized Outreach: Ensure continued positive and regular contact with the family. Consult with the school social worker as a resource for helping families with attendance problems. 
Remove Barriers: For cases of suspected abuse, neglect or endangerment, contact the appropriate agencies to report.