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.

By June of 2019, the percentage of students with satisfactory attendance in Kindergarten during second quarter will increase from 37% to 50% as evidenced by student attendance data. 

By June of 2019, the percentage of students with at risk attendance in Kindergarten will decrease from 33% to 25% as evidenced by student attendance data. 

By June of 2019, the percentage of students with chronic attendance in Kindergarten will decrease from 18% to 10% as evidenced by student attendance data. 

By June of 2019, the percentage of students with severe chronic attendance will decrease from 5% to 1% as evidenced by student attendance data. 

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

Manatee Bay is a school that serves educated and involved families. The teachers at MBE are committed and knowledgeable. The vision statement at MBE reinforces that the school is a community of life long learners. To this end, the school is committed to providing students with rigorous and relevant curriculum that will prepare them for life. Students at MBE perform strong academically and so that this continues to be the case, it is extremely important that students are in school every day to receive instruction. To ensure that students are excited to come to school daily, teachers will continue to provide quality and engaging student-centered instruction. When students are struggling academically, socially, or emotionally, systems will be in place to support these students so that school continues to be a place where they are excited to come to each day. The importance of regular school attendance will be reinforced and reviewed with parents at school-wide events and at parent-teacher conferences. Teachers will greet students each day and make them feel welcome.

Data will be analyzed twice a quarter by administrators, IMT, and guidance counselors to identify students who are displaying a negative attendance pattern. When reviewing report cards quarterly, administrators will include handwritten notes to students who have perfect attendance. Additionally, at quarterly award assemblies perfect attendance recognition will be an added certificate that can be earned. 

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

Students who have more than just occasional absences will be brought  up during Curriculum and Support Team meetings. When students are identified as having attendance concerns, guidance counselors will reach out to families to see if there are any barriers to the students being in school on time. As needed, services will be recommended and provided to help. In addition to reaching out to parents to see what explanations can be provided for the absences, the support team will meet to analyze the students' behavior and academic data to see if there are additional school-related struggles. As needed, students will be referred for RTI if there are additional concerns.The guidance counselor will send a pattern of non-attendance letter if needed.

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

For students that have been through Tier 2 strategies but that are still struggling with attendance, conferences with school official(s) such as an administrator, teacher, guidance counselor, social worker to try to determine how to combat the attendance issue. Information will be provided to families about the importance of attendance. The impact on the lack of attendance on student performance will be studied. Goals will be made for improved attendance and additional support will be provided to ensure that students are in school. A personalized attendance plan complete with reinforcement will be implemented. If needed, legal interventions will be made to ensure an improvement in attendance, such as the BTIP Contract.