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.

As indicated by the data above, obtained from TERMS and Data Warehouse, Chronic Absenteeism occurs more in the Primary Grades (K-2) than in the Intermediate Grades (3-5).   Pasadena Lakes staff is involved in a comprehensive Attendance Plan to reduce both Chronic and Excessive absenteeism at our school.

• By June 2019, we will reduce the number of K-5 students having Chronic Absenteeism by 4% in each grade.
 
As a way to improve our school's attendance, we reward classes by spelling out the word ATTENDANCE.

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

As a way to improve our school's attendance, we will reward classes by spelling out the word ATTENDANCE. 

How it works:

Each time your class has everyone in attendance, you will place a letter on your board.  The first class to spell the word ATTENDANCE will receive recognition.  As soon as you spell out ATTENDANCE, you should email administration (There may be more than one class that meets the goal on the same day).  An announcement will be made, either through afternoon announcements or morning announcements to declare the winner(s).  Once the announcement is made, the school will begin again with a new round.  Therefore, your class will start once again with letter A.  Hopefully, this will help motivate every class to a friendly school-wide competition.

What do I need?

You need the letters that spell the word ATTENDANCE.  I have already attached the letters for you to print out in any color.  Then you can laminate the letters to be able to reuse them throughout the year.  You can place magnets on the back if you want to make it easier.

When will be begin?

The first round will begin Monday, October 1, 2018.   Present the information to your class, prior to the start date. 

What incentive will the winning class receive?

Incentives will be at the discretion of administration and will be awarded to the first class that spells out the word attendance.

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

Teachers are the first line of defense with excessive absences.  They may receive a note from the parents, asking that their child be excused for traveling, a family emergency, illness, etc.  The teacher or School Counselor will make contact with the parent and explain the SBBC Attendance Policy.  If exccessive absences continue, the student is referred to RTI and the School Social Worker, who sits down with the parent and discusses the problem.  Once the problem is identified, it is handled in an encouraging and proactive manner.  The excessive absences are tracked for reduction.

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

Tardies are tracked via tardy slips and a late sign-in log.  Once a student with chronic tardiness is identified, the teacher or another staff member will make contact with the parents to find out the reasons for the student's tardiness.  If needed, the student is provided a bus pass, information on Before School Care, local transportation services, or other assistance, depending on the issue.  If the tardies continue, the student is referred to the the School Social Worker/RTI team for additional proactive strategies and assistance.

Students who are signed out early are identified during a daily log.  Once a pattern has been identified, a school staff member will speak to the parent to discover the reason for the chronic early sign outs.  Sometimes, a student is signed out to meet with a therapist off school grounds.  In these situations, the School Counselor will attempt to schedule counseling during the school day.  In other situations, a student will be signed out early due to a parent's work schedule, transportation problems, etc.  In those situations, the RTI/ School Social Worker will meet with the parent and attempt to provide other proactive solutions as an alternative to early sign out.
 
If an administrator determines that there is clear evidence of a pattern of non-attendance, the case should be referred to the RTI Team