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.

For our students who have satisfactory attendance we will provide Tier 1 strategies and interventions, which start with our support team constantly reviewing attendance data and trends. We will continue to offer a welcoming and positive environment. All students are provided with expectations for attendance in the back to school materials. Our students who have satisfactory attendance is acknowledged and honored quarterly at the awards ceremony. To help address barriers we hosts quarterly clothing drives to assist those in need.

For our students who display at-risk attendance, in addition to the Tier 1 strategies and interventions listed above we will include Tier 2. Attendance for these students will be monitored on a weekly basis by our support team. Letters will be mailed out to parents regarding their child's attendance each week. Support Team will meet with student and parents to set a goal and timeframes. Students will be assigned an attendance buddy for peer encouragement. Support will reach out to assist with barriers such as housing, transportation or health.

For our students with chronic absenteeism, along with Tier 1 and 2 strategies and interventions listed above, we will implement Tier 3. Students with chronic absenteeism will have their attendance monitored on a daily basis and a followup will be done each time. Students and families will be connected with outside resources to meet any needs. Students will be rewarded for improved attendance.

For our students with severe chronic absenteeism we will provide all the Tier 1, 2, and 3 strategies and interventions above. Students will chronic absenteeism will have a support staff assigned to them who they will see before and after school each day. During this time support is provided to meet the needs of the student. Parent contact will be made at least 3 times a week or even more when the student is absent.

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
  • School leadership will ensure that all teachers are fully trained and aware of using pinnacle daily for taking classroom attendance daily.
  • All clerical staff will be trained and have access to attendance manager.
  • IMT/Registrar will provide monthly report for current year attendance which will inform the direction of attendance initiative.
  • Monthly, School Social Worker and school counselors will monitor attendance using data from basis, optispool, and data warehouse in effort to set up goals for school wide attendance recognition plan.  
  • School Social Worker and/or Counselors will utilize all collected data to identify at risk students that may require tier 2 interventions.
• Engage Student and Families
  • Parents will have access to attendance line/phone number which will be easily accessible in the school’s website.
  • School advisory counsel will outreach to parents using parent link to inform and remind parents of the importance of attendance.
  • On a quarterly basis, teachers will make contact (via phone, email, or face to face) with parents to include information about attendance and to help strategize goals.
• Recognize Good and Improve Attendance
  • School Leadership will share and provide access to students to participate in district wide attendance events as eligible.
  • School based attendance recognition will be executed throughout the school year (i.e. Monthly Perfect attendance and Most Improved “shout-out”, certificates, tangible rewards).
• Provide Personalized Outreach
  • ESE specialists will facilitate transition meetings for students returning to their homebased schools.
  • Student records will reflect all attendance (i.e. cum folders, report cards, etc.).
  • Information about chronic absences will be provided during intake and throughout the year for all parent programs.
  • School Social Worker will utilize 5-day letter for patterns of non-attendance in order to start engaging with parents to assess overall needs.
• Remove Barriers
  • Free breakfast will be provided school wide for all students daily.
  • Transportation will be provided for all students within attendance boundaries.
  • Parents will be provided access to obtain onsite parking for students.
  • School advisory counsel along with school staff will host parent night throughout the year in order to inform parents about services, district policies, and open house.

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
  • On a weekly basis, IMT/Registrar will provide Social worker 5-day notice of non-attendance from Optispool. Social Worker will review report and identify students who may be at risk of chronic absenteeism.
  • Daily, Teachers will monitor student attendance using pinnacle or basis.
  • By weekly, collaborative team meetings will be used to consult with teachers to assist in addressing students at risk of chronic absenteeism.
• Engage Student and Families
  • CREC School Social Worker and Family Counselor will conduct outreach via phone to student’s parent(s)/guardian of chronically absent student to assess and to address any psychosocial needs of the family.
  • Once a student is identified as at risk for chronic absenteeism, School Social Worker and/or Family Counselor will meet with the student to identify needs and possible solutions to rectify attendance issues and generate possible solutions to address attendance concerns. The goal of these discussions will be to reduce, refocus, and motivate student to commit actively in school.
• Recognize Good and Improve Attendance
  • Once a student is identified as at risk for chronic absenteeism who successfully completes a week of solid attendance will be given recognizable shout outs over the loud speak to reinforce or motivate their presence in school.
  • Students will be provided tangible incentives weekly as a result of incurring recognition through the “shout-outs” for good and improved attendance.
• Provide Personalized Outreach
  • School Leadership will invite motivational speakers/role models that will teach students the value of success and self-determination.
  • Parents will be provided about support from the student services department from Broward Schools and encourage to explore length at http://www.browardstudentservices.com.
• Remove Barriers
  • Social worker will contact to families to introduce and orient families to his/her role as resource linkage for clinical support and services.
  • Social worker will link parents to public agencies to community partners and involve school nurse when necessary to follow up on medical related absences.
  • School leadership will provide training to staff to help them recognize signs of illness or substance abuse concerns with students.

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 severe chronic absenteeism for each quarter throughout the year.
  • CREC Social Worker and Case Managers will identify, review, and monitor Student’s patterns of non-attendance/chronic absenteeism using Optispool, Data warehouse, and Data from Basis.
  • CREC Support Team will use attendance data to discuss, evaluate, and plan during grade level collaborative team meetings, RTI, and administratively placed transition meetings to identify possible needs and resource links for students and their families.
• Engage Students and Families
  • Maintain collaborative partnerships with community-based agencies and refer students to these appropriate agencies as need arise. Truancy petition may be considered on a case by case basis.
  • Inform and maintain ongoing communication with appropriate community-based agencies regarding school policy around chronic absenteeism and encourage agencies to incorporate as part of indicators for successful service outcomes.
  • Utilize resources throughout the district and education field that provide best practices to decrease chronic absenteeism and increase motivation for student attendance.
  • Identify and maintain ongoing communication with parents and community-based agencies to mitigate chronic absenteeism and/or before executing any severe consequences related to a student’s truancy concerns.
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
  • All Tier 3 students will be placed on Attendance enhancement plan to contract, address, and support continued improvement in daily attendance. The Attendance Enhancement Plan will be developed by the student, parent(s), and school social worker. In addition, all established attendance plan and goals will be shared with Student’s teacher and CREC support team for positive reinforcement of the student’s goals.
  • Social Worker along with School Family Counselor will establish and sustain a monthly attendance recognition program to identify and acknowledge students who are designated as Most Improved and Perfect Attendance Recipient.
  • Social worker and Student will develop a list of tangible incentives that may be utilized to assist Student to improve and achieve attendance goals. 
• Provide Personalized Outreach
  • Social Worker will maintain consistent communication with the family that serves to assess needs, motivate, and reinforce positive attendance outcomes for all tier 3 students.
  • School Social Worker will serve as a resource for school staff, families, and students with attendance issues.
  • Ongoing dialogue between IMT/Registrar, Teachers, Support Staff, and Social Worker will be sustained in order to ensure appropriate follow up for student absences.
• Remove Barriers
  • Establish and implement attendance contract and intervention plan. Maintain progress monitoring of the plan.
  • Identify biopsychosocial needs of student and provide linkage with appropriate referrals.
  • Social worker and support team will maintain vigilantes in identifying student issues that fall under mandatory laws.