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: Overall chronic absence in 2017/2018 96 students (12.31%) and severe chronic absence was 30 (3.85%). Our goal is to reduce overall chronic absence (both chronic and sever chronic absences) from 17.69% to 15%by June 2019. 

Goal 2: Overall at risk absence in 2017/2018 was 22.95% (179 students). Our goal is to reduce at risk absences from 26.12% to 24%. This will thereby increase satisfactory attendance from 56.19% to 58.19%.

Goal 3: Grades K, 1 and 2 had the highest rates of chronic absenteeism in 2017-2018; In K-2, the goal is reduce chronic absenteeism by 4 students on each grade level.

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

Monitoring

1. 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 that have completed the training.
2. Monitoring attendance-taking procedures will take place weekly by the Attendance Clerk and as requested by administration.
3. Twice each month, BASIS will be monitored to set goals for scholars in school-wide recognitions.
4. At the beginning of each month, the administrative team will request from the IMT to provide a report for current year attendance categories to monitor improvement and steer the direction of attendance initiatives.

1. 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.
2. Principal will provide monthly updates via ParentLink and PTSA meetings regarding Average Daily Attendance and the Chronic Absenteeism categories, celebrating the students that are attending 95% or more.
3. School Twitter account will follow and re-Tweet relevant messages about attendance for our stakeholders. Messages on the school website will be positive and supportive.
4. The Attendance Phone line will be checked and cleared daily by the attendance clerk.

1. The administrator responsible for attendance will ensure that students have opportunities to participate in District-wide Attendance recognition events (certificates, Miami Heat games, Florida Panthers, Miami Marlins, etc.)
2. School-based attendance recognition events will occur throughout the school year. These will include quarterly certificates and school-based attendance recognition and may be combined with honor roll assemblies.

1.  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.
2. Attendance will be included on all student report cards.
3. Integrate information about chronic absence into parent programs and communications throughout the school year.

1. This school provides free breakfast for all students, every school day.
2. A bike rack enclosed in a lock gate is available for students that arrive by bicycle. The rack is locked after school begins and is unlocked and monitored by staff after school.
3. The Community Liaison from Family and Community Engagement will host parent nights throughout the year to inform parents about services, programs, and District policies.

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

Once Tier 1 interventions have been exhausted for Chronically Absent/Tardy students, Tier 2 Interventions will be ADDED to the Tier 1 Interventions for students and their families.

Monitor Data

1. 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.
2. Weekly, using BASIS, the leadership team will identify students that have enough absences to be considered chronically absent.
3. Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with support staff for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior.
4. School Counselor will monitor attendance with the leadership team to help identify students that may have a need for more wrap-around services.

1. School Counselors, as part of the leadership team and support, will reach out by phone to speak with parents of chronically absent students to identify if any support is needed for the family.
2. 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.
3. Teachers and Staff will help identify any family needs and connect the family with services (food pantry, clothing assistance, literacy programs, transportation).

1. We will work with students and families to set attendance goals and time frames that are attainable to help improve attendance for at-risk or chronically absent students.
2. We will recognize these students routinely for good and improved attendance.

1. Students will be given a staff mentor for positive reinforcement and to build trusting relationships with staff improve to attendance.
2. 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.

1. Involve public agencies, community partners, and resources as needed to address barriers identified through parent conferences, communications with family, or other sources.
2. Connect families with the School Social Worker to provide clinical support and services.

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

Once Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions have been exhausted for Chronically Absent/Tardy students, Tier 3 Interventions will be ADDED to the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions for students and their families:

Monitor Data
1.Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing more than 20% of a school year); administrator in charge of attendance will monitor the non-attendance report from OptiSpool, data from BASIS to identify students that are missing too many school days.

Engage Students and Families

1. Refer students to appropriate service agencies (social services, human resources, counseling, housing, the HEART team for homeless education, or health services).
2. Utilize best practices from schools within the District that have been able to decrease chronic absences and increase satisfactory attendance.
3. 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.

1. For the students at Tier 3, appropriate positive reinforcements, such as tangible incentives, etc 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 and will be shared with the child’s teachers.

1. Ensure continued positive and regular contact with the family via attendance clerk, teachers and administrator in charge of attendance.
2. School Social Worker will check-in on “Attendance Success Plans” and communicate with parents at regular intervals.
3. When the student misses school, ensure the assigned personnel--teacher, social worker and mentor--are following up on each absence.

1. Implement agreed upon family intervention plan. Monitor for progress.
2. Connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers
3. For cases of suspected abuse, neglect or endangerment, contact the appropriate agencies to report.