Chronic Absenteeism

2. Chronic Absenteeism …a student who has missed 10 per cent (about 18 days) or more of the school year or in the previous year missed a month or more of school for any reason.

3. What do we know?

4. What we know… • An attendance issue is often a first indicator that a student is having other challenges.

5. What we know… • Need to attend: • regular classes; • online; • blended programs; • home education; • off campus courses; and • dual credit, etc.

6. What we know… • The student has to be attending to benefit from interventions.

7. What we know… • Absenteeism is a stronger predictor of drop out rates than suspensions, test scores, or students who have been retained.

8. Why are students not attending?

9. Can’t attend • illness; • injury; • family responsibilities; • housing instability; • the need to work; or • involvement with the juvenile justice system.

10. Won’t attend • avoid bullying; • unsafe conditions; • harassment; • real or perceived embarrassment resulting from learning difficulties; • social awkwardness; or • something as simple as the sanctions imposed on them if the arrive late.

11. Don’t attend • do not see the value in education; • something else they would rather do; or • nothing stops them from being absent.

12. Every Student Counts Project • Sense of belonging. • Want an adult to: • care about them; • connect with them; • help them resolve issues; and • help them with their learning. • They want to be valued.

13. What can we do?

15. Universal • All students. • Communicate clear expectations about the importance of regular attendance.

16. Targeted • Early intervention for students with attendance issues.

17. Specialized • A small number of students that require intensive, individualized supports and services.

18. Five Strategic Areas • Evaluating – Tracking Progress • Ensuring – Student Engagement • Increasing – Successful Transitions • Promoting – Positive Connections • Creating – Collaborative Partnerships

20. Tracking Progress • Good understanding and a clear process to analyze: • district; • school; • classroom; and • individual student attendance data.

21. Questions to consider • How is school/classroom attendance data monitored and reported? • How do our attendance policies ensure students at risk of chronically absenteeism are identified early? • How is our student records system used to track and monitor attendance data? • How many students in the school are chronically absent? How are attendance rates shared with the school and community? • What universal, targeted and specialized supports are in place to ensure attendance rates are maximized?

22. Student Engagement • School Structure  • School Culture • School Pedagogy • School Leadership

23. School Structure • flexible schedules; • year-round calendars; • modified timetables; • dual credit; • off campus programming; and • online courses, etc.

24. School Culture • Values, beliefs and shared meaning of all stakeholders. • Elements include: • student voice; • engagement; and • welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments.

25. School Pedagogy • Styles and methods of instruction including: • grading practices; • assessment; and • instructional strategies.

26. School Leadership • improving classroom practice; • informing school policies; and • making connections beyond the walls of the school building.

27. Questions to consider • How are students with attendance issues helped to feel a sense of belonging in school? • Which extra curricular clubs or program are students with attendance issues involved? • How are students consulted about their challenges, interests and achievements? • How are students/families involved in creating attendance plans? • Which assessment strategies are used to create opportunities for student to explore and demonstrate learning in ways that are meaningful to them? • Which alternative programs and/or schedules have been discussed or implemented to encourage school attendance and engagement? • What types of projects or other learning activity does the student initiate?

28. Successful Transitions • Changes to: • relationships; • routines; • expectations; or • roles.

29. Key transitions • kindergarten or first grade; • elementary to middle/junior high; • junior high to high school; • Grade 12; and • new school/community.

30. Transition Strategies • Collaboration with: • parents/caregivers; • employers; • community agencies; and • post secondary institutions to develop transition strategies that are comprehensive.

31. Support students • from home-to-school; • between schools, programs, and/or grade levels; • moving from within or outside the community/country; and • when leaving high school for post-secondary education or employment.

32. Questions to consider • How are staff and parents made aware of transitions processes? • What consistent processes are in place at the school level and jurisdiction level to support student transitions? • Which area of transitioning is an issue for our students with attendance issues? • Which personnel at both the sending and receiving learning environment are communicating about how to best support the students with attendance issues during transitions? • How is the communication facilitated? • What are the issues between the two learning environments that support or impede transitioning for students with attendance issues?

33. Collaborative Partnerships • Shared leadership • Community expertise

34. Why the student is absent • food; • shelter; • mental/physical health; • geographic location; or • other challenges.

35. Rates of chronic absenteeism • Consistently higher among: • economically disadvantaged students; and • those in special education classes.

36. Comprehensive Partnerships • School, family and community • Higher level of: • parent involvement; and • students passing standardized achievement tests. • Reduced disciplinary actions

37. Questions to consider • Who has the jurisdiction/school developed formal partnerships with to assist us in supporting students? • What student centred, family centred, school centred, community centred activities are in place to promote attendance? • How has collaboration become a core value in the school, home and community? • How are students with attendance issues being supported by our community partners? • How has the school facilitated collaborative relationships with parents and service providers? • How do the parents and service providers ensure students with attendance issues are attending school? What is the role of the school in this plan?

38. Positive Connections • Intervention of specialized personnel such as: • mentorship programs; • career counselling; • school liaison work; • student engagement projects; • resource offices; or • community agencies.

39. Most successful strategies • Communicating with families about attendance. • Celebrating good attendance with students and families. • Community mentors. • Attendance activities.

40. Positive Connections with Families • Parenting programs • Clear and consistent communication • Volunteer opportunities • Learning at home • Involvement in decision-making • Collaborating with the community

41. Key Connection Strategies • Workshops for parents about: • getting children to school; • making home visits; and • using contracts to commit parents to getting their children to school.

42. Key Connection Strategies • Communication practices: • conducting parent orientations to explain school expectations and policies regarding student attendance; • sending home newsletters listing the names of students with excellent attendance; • giving families information about how to contact the school; and • providing access to children’s attendance information on the internet.

43. Key Connection Strategies • Volunteering • in class; • on field trips; • in the office or library; • during events; • sharing expertise; and • providing off campus programming.

44. Key Connection Strategies • Collaborating • bringing in speakers to talk about the importance of completing school; and • connecting chronically absent students with a community mentor.

45. Questions to consider • How long have students with attendance issues been involved with a formal or informal mentorship program in the school or community? • How have the students with attendance issues responded to mentoring? • Who is the significant adult in the school or community who can provide unconditional support for these students? • How has the school included liaison workers, resource officers or other personnel who use specialized engagement projects/activities to increase student attendance? • How do we make positive connections with parents as individuals, as a school and as a district?

46. Make the attendanceconnection