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.

From BASIS, we have identified the following baseline data from 2017-2018 from a total population of 1206: 
 Satisfactory = 822 students = 68.16%,  At Risk = 273 students = 22.64%,  Chronic = 91 students = 7.55%,  and Severe Chronic = 20 students = 1.66%

Based on the above data Walter C. Young's  goal will mainly focus on increasing satisfactory attendance, with some additional focus on decreasing chronic absenteeism for Tier 2 and Tier 3 students. In addition, we will continue to monitor our progress towards our goal by evaluating the data retrieved from BASIS on a quarterly basis. 

 

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

• Administration will ensure that all teachers complete the brain shark training for taking classroom attendance. 
• Monitoring the attendance-taking procedures will take place weekly/monthly by the attendance clerk and as requested by administration/guidance director.
• Twice a quarter, guidance counselors will monitor BASIS and data warehouse to set goals for students in school-wide recognitions.
• Every month, administration will request an attendance report to monitor improvement as well as direct the attendance incentive

• School staff will be encouraged to reach out to parents by phone or email to remind parents about the importance of attendance.
• Principal and SAC Chairs will give monthly updates via School Advisory Council meetings, parent links, PTSA meetings, etc. regarding average daily attendance and the chronic absenteeism, while celebrating the students that are attending 95% or more.
• Attendance phone line will be checked and cleared daily by attendance clerk.
• School twitter account will follow relevant messages about attendance for our stakeholders as well as messages on our school website 
• Monthly newsletters will inform parents about the importance of attendance.

• The administration will ensure that students have opportunities to participate in District-wide attendance events
• Attendance recognition via certificates and school-based functions including honor roll assemblies.

• Integrate information regarding chronic absenteeism into parent programs and communications throughout the school year.
• ESE school staff and guidance will host tours for students moving from th grade into middle school, and from th grade into high school. Families will see classrooms and learn about the importance of attendance for their child's academic success to develop positive habits on attending school. 
• Attendance will be included on all student report cards

• Students have free breakfast every day 
• Bike racks are locked at the beginning of the school day, unlocked at the end of school day, and monitored throughout the day by school security staff.
• Community Liaison and SAF parent will communicate to inform parents throughout the year about services, programs, and District policies
• Title I parent nights for Math, ELA, Science, and Civics to inform parent about the importance of 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

A. Monitor Data 

• Guidance department and administration will review and monitor attendance report using BASIS to identify students who may be at-risk
• By weekly, administration will use BASIS to identify students who have enough absences to be considered chronic
• Teachers will monitor attendance using pinnacle and consult support staff, guidance counselors, social worker for help in redirecting absenteeism.
• School Counselors will monitor attendance with the administrative team to help identify students that may have a need for more help 
• weekly RTI meetings. 

• Posting of promotional items in prominent locations with slogan "Attendance Counts, All Day, Every Day!" 
• BTIP Referral for students that establish a pattern of non-attendance
• Request written documentation for recent or future absences.

• Will work with students and families to set attendance goals and times frames that are attainable to help improve attendance for at-risk or chronically absent students.
• Positive reinforcement and develop trusting relationships

• School Advisory Council Meetings to inform stakeholders regarding personalized outreach 
• Parent-teacher conferences with support staff will be scheduled to discuss absences and challenges to identify the barriers we can assist with.

• Involve community, partners and resources as needed to address barriers identified through parent conferences and communications with family. 
• Involve school nurse when necessary to follow-up on medically related absences and train staff to recognize signs of illness.
• Connect families with the school social worker to provide insight as to the role of a school social worker, establish relationships, and 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

A. Monitor Data

• Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism ( missing more than 20% of the school year)
• Guidance and CSPT will monitor non-attendance report to identify students
• Guidance, CSPT, and administrative team will discuss for collaborative problem-Solving 

• Refer Students to appropriate services
• Share data with appropriate agencies in order to use this specific chronic absenteeism data as an indicator for assisting families.

• TIER 3 students will have appropriate positive reinforcements included in their attendance success plan to support continued improvements. Parents, Guidance counselors and social worker will follow up as well as the student's teacher.
• Tangible incentives to improve attendance.

• Consult school social worker
• When student misses school, ensure an assigned personnel to follow up with each absence.
• Communicate with parents at regular intervals to ensure student success

• Monitor plan for progress
• Connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers
• implement agreed upon family intervention plan.
• Suspected cases of abuse, neglect or endangerment, contact the appropriate agency to report .