1. Aliza Shupac, MSW, RSW TDSB Social Worker & Attendance Counsellor
Attendance Matters
Aliza Shupac, MSW, RSW
TDSB Social Worker & Attendance Counsellor

2. Problematic Attendance
*Ministry requirement: 197 Instructional days.
At-Risk Attendance when students miss between 5%-10% (from days per year )
Chronic Absenteeism is prolonged absence exceeding 10% a school year (20 or more days per year). Just one or two days a month.
Truancy is consistent failure to attend school and the term used by the TDSB during court proceedings. Truancy charges are typically made when children are absent over 15% of a school year (30 or more days per year).
Satisfactory Attendance: misses 5% or less of class. (10 days missed or less).

3. Why Does Attendance Matter?
*Research shows that children suffer academically when they miss as few as 10 days or more per year (5% or over)
*That can be just one or two days a month.

5. Attendance Matters..
ØMost students with Absenteeism rate of greater than 10% (‘Chronic Absenteeism’) were below the provincial standard in EQAO Mathematics assessment
*“High Absenteeism is strongly connected to low achievement”

6. Attendance Matters
*By middle school, chronic absenteeism is highly correlated to high school dropout rates.
*Lifelong habits are set as early as the young grades.
*Absenteeism affects the learning of the entire classroom.

7. Demographics
*Households headed by single mothers disproportionately affected.
*Families living in poverty (transition, transportation, health care issues)= The school can help to liaise with community agencies to ensure wrap around support.
*Vacations, doctors appointments (try to schedule outside of school hours).

8. TDSB Attendance Referrals
*Referrals typically made when students miss 15% of school year (30 days or more) but also takes longer term attendance patterns into account (discretionary). (ie- 2 years of ‘at-risk attendance’)
*Automatic referral after 15 consecutive days of absence.
Steps:
*School attempts to support family re: attendance
*Referral made to Attendance Counselor
*Meeting to try and address any underlying problems- support offered.
*Period of monitoring
*Attendance Review Committee Hearing- Decision to press charges on parents for truancy (or decision to monitor), potential to refer to Children’s Aid Society for on-going support.

9. *Court proceedings (The Education Act mandates that all children 16 and under attend school regularly).