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: By June 2019, Chronic (10%-19.9% absent) and Severe Chronic (20% or more absent) will decrease by at least one percent (1%) each. 

Goal 2:  According to 2017-2018 attendance data, Kindergarten Chronic absenteeism remained relatively the same with 8 students missing 10-19.9% days. First grade increased from 3 students (4.55%) to 5 students (8.47%) from the first semester to the second semester. Severe Chronic absences increased in Kindergarten from 2 students (3.23%) to 5 students (7.69%) from first to second semester and decreased in first grade by one student (1.52%) to zero students in the second semester.

Goal 3: Overall at-risk absence during the 2017-2018 school year was 97 students or 21.7% (7 students or 1.57% severe chronic and 38 or 8.5% chronic). Our goal is to reduce overall at-risk absences by at least one percent (1%).

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 been taught how to take attendance using the presentation from Student Services titled “Classroom Attendance: Record Keeping”. Monitoring attendance-taking procedures will take place weekly by the Attendance Clerk and as requested by administration. Each quarter, Administration will monitor BASIS and Data Warehouse to set goals for students in school-wide recognitions. 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.
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. Principal will provide quarterly updates via ParentLink and PTSA meetings regarding Average Daily Attendance and the Chronic Absenteeism categories, celebrating the students that are attending 95% or more. Front office staff will meet each month to discuss customer service responsibilities and adapt procedures for ensuring a welcoming environment when visitors enter the front office (students, parents, guests, District staff). School Facebook/Twitter account will follow and re-Tweet relevant messages about attendance for our stakeholders. Messages on the school website will be positive and supportive. The Attendance Phone line will be checked and cleared daily by the attendance clerk.
Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
 The administrator responsible for attendance will ensure that the students have opportunities to participate in District-wide Attendance recognition events (certificates, Miami Heat games, Florida Panthers, Miami Marlins, etc.) School-based attendance recognition events will occur throughout the school year. These will include quarterly certificates and school-based attendance recognition.
Provide Personalized 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. Attendance will be included on all student report cards. Integrate information about chronic absence into parent programs and communications throughout the school year.
Remove Barriers
Our school provides free breakfast for all students, every school day. 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. The School Social Worker will attend 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

Monitor Data
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. Weekly, using BASIS, the leadership team will identify students that have enough absences to be considered chronically absent. Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with support staff for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior. School Counselors, will monitor attendance with the leadership team to help identify students that may have a need for more wrap-around services.
Engage Students and Families
School Counselor and School Social Worker as part of the leadership team and support, will reach out by phone to speak with parents of chronically absent students. Parents and students 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. 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
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. Recognize these students quarterly for good and improved 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 and community partners and resources as needed to address barriers identified through parent conferences, communications with family, or other sources. Involve the school nurse and Administration when necessary to follow-up on medical related absences and training 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 a relationship, 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

Monitor Data
Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing more than 20% of a school year). Leadership team 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
Refer students to appropriate service agencies (social services, human resources, counseling, housing, the HEART team for homeless education, or health services). Share data with appropriate agencies and ensure that agencies are using chronic absence as an indicator to respond to for assisting families. Utilize best practices from schools within the District that have been able to decrease chronic absences and increase satisfactory attendance.
Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
For the students at Tier 3, appropriate positive reinforcements will be included in their Attendance Success Plan to support continued 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. Check-in on Attendance Success Plans and communicate with parents at regular intervals. Consult with the School Social Worker as a resource for helping families with attendance problems. When the student misses school, ensure the assigned personnel is following up on each absence.
Remove Barriers
Implement agreed upon family intervention plan. Monitor for progress. Connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers. For cases of suspected abuse, neglect or endangerment, contact the appropriate agencies to report.