1. Jackie Olivo Latino Resource Organization FamilySource Center
Why is attendance & understanding a report card important for my child’s success?
Jackie Olivo
Latino Resource Organization FamilySource Center
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2. Attendance
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3. District Expectation
The LAUSD’s goal is for ALL students to attend at a rate of 96% or higher.
We expect all students to be present in school, on-time, every day.
Students should miss no more than 7 days of school per school year.
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4. What Does Good Attendance Look Like?
Goal: Students with 7 or fewer absences in a school year
Chronic Absence
15 or more absences
Warning Signs
8 -14 days absences
Good Attendance
7 or fewer absences
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5. Two types of school absences
Excused Absences
Unexcused Absences
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6. Excused Absences Illness, verified by parent/guardian or doctor
Medical appointments, verified by written notes from a doctor or parent/guardian
Quarantine of the home, verified by the Health Department
Illness of child or medical appointment
Mandatory court hearings (with prior approval)
Lice
Funeral due to the death of the student’s immediate family:
1 day for funerals within California
3 days for funerals outside of California
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7. Unexcused Absences Vacations Absent without parental consent
Illness not verified by parent/guardian
Babysitting
Runaway from home
Family emergency or problems
Weather (rain, wind or heat)
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8. Tardies & Early Leaves Tardies School starts at 8:00 a.m.
Warning bell rings at 7:55 a.m.
Early Leaves
Will be reflected on their attendance record
Will be marked excused/unexcused
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9. Students who Miss school, Miss out!
Students who miss school lose out on valuable instructional time.
Students who miss school are at-risk for school failure and are more likely to eventually drop out.
Students who miss school require extra time from teachers to catch up, leaving less time for other students.
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10. What is Chronic Absenteeism?
National = 10% (18 absences)
LAUSD = 9% (15 Absences)
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11. Chronic Absences in Early Grades
In the LAUSD, 2 out of every 10 kindergarten and first grade students are chronically absent.
Nationally, this number is about half (1 in 10).
Chronic absence in any grade puts our students at-risk for school failure and ultimately, dropout.
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12. Chronic Absences Begins in Kindergarten
A student who is chronically absent in Kindergarten:
Is more likely to perform poorly in first grade, especially in Reading
Is likely to have lower academic achievement in fifth grade
Why do parents think Kindergarten is not important?
It’s just Kindergarten… all they do is color.
Kids get sick a lot.
They are too little for such a long day.
Parents and family are too busy to take them to school.
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13. Chronic Absence in Middle School
A student who is chronically absent in sixth grade is
at greater risk of becoming a high school dropout
(Balfanz and Herzog)
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14. Chronic Absence in 9th Grade
A student who is chronically absent in ninth
grade is much less likely to graduate on-time
with their class
(Chicago Public Schools Consortium)
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15. Dropout Statistics
There is a strong correlation between poor attendance and delinquent behavior, teen pregnancy and school dropouts.
Most of the minors placed in the California Youth Authority (CYA) had poor attendance.
Students described a pattern of refusing to wake up, missing school, skipping class – and each absence made them less willing to go back.
80% of the prison population do not have their high school diploma.
Warning Signs: low grades, discipline and behavioral problems, lack of involvement in class and in school activities, pregnancy, being held back a grade or more.
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16. Average Annual Earnings
HS Dropout $17,299.00
High School:     $39,492.19
Some College:     $45,513.37
Bachelor's:     $59,597.18
Master's:     $93,675.00
PhD:     $197,480.00
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17. The Law & Legal Consequences
Compulsory Full-Time Education E.C
All children between the ages 6 and 18 years must attend school full time.
All parents, guardians, and students are responsible to comply with this law.
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18. Violation of This Law May Result in
Initial truancy notification
ACT – Abolish Chronic Truancy
SART (School Attendance Review Team)
May be ordered to attend parenting classes and/or counseling
SARB (Student Attendance Review Board)
District Attorney or City Attorney Prosecution
May be fined up to $2,500
May serve up to a year in jail
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19. What Parents/Guardians can do
Send your child to school every day on time, in every grade, including Kindergarten.
Make any appointments during school vacations or off time.
Establish a schedule and stick to it!
Make sure your child goes to bed early so that s/he will be ready to learn.
Prepare school clothes, homework and supplies the night before school.
Keep a positive attitude about school and daily attendance because children are taught to value education by the adults in their lives.
Contact your child’s school administrator or counselor for help and support if you need it!
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20. Student Attendance is the Key to Student Success
Every School Day COUNTS!
A missed school day
is a lost opportunity for
a student to learn.
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21. REPORT CARDS
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22. Importance of Report Cards
For schools and teachers to evaluate and assess your child’s progress in his/her classes
To inform Parents and Students of progress
To inform teachers how students are progressing to provide the appropriate intervention and support
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23. Educators use grades to…
Give each student and his/her family feedback about the student’s progress and mastery of the content standards
Provide guidance to teachers for instructional planning, re-teaching, and intervention
Provide information useful to plan for student matriculation, retention, and future course work
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24. Elementary Report Cards
All schools will issue the Elementary School Progress Report to parents three times during the school year for grades K-5/6 schools.
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25. Achievement Score
Indicates student PROGRESS towards achievement of grade-level, state and district standards
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26. Effort Score
Indicates student EFFORT towards achievement of grade-level, state and district standards
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27. Work and Study Habits Score
Indicates student DEVELOPMENT in work and study habits, and learning and social skills.
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28. PAGE 1 of 2 Attendance Work and Study Habits Key Code AC: Achievement
Grades & Reporting Periods
PAGE 1 of 2
Identifying Information
Attendance
Grades by Academic Subjects
AC: Achievement
EF: Effort
Work and Study Habits
Learning and Social Skills
Key Code
Instructional Program (e.g., ELD)
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29. PAGE 2 of 2 Parent Signature Firma del Padre
Teacher comments by reporting period
Parent Signature
Firma del Padre
Message to Parent from Teacher
Mensaje del maestro(a) para el padre
Parent can write message to teacher
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30. Secondary Report Cards
Middle and High School
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31. Progress Reports vs Final Grades
Progress Report Cards
Mailed every 5, 10, 15 weeks in each semester
Allows you to monitor progress and speak with your child’s counselor and/or teachers
Final Grade Report Cards
At the 20 week mark
Final grades go onto your child’s cumulative record
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32. Criteria for Grades
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33. Criteria for Work Habits & Cooperation
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34. PAGE 1 of 1 Identifying Information Teacher Comments Key Code
Attendance by Period Attendance and Tardies
Grades by Grade Reporting Period
Identifying Information
Academic, Work Habits, Cooperation
Final Grade
Grades by Academic Subjects/Periods
Teacher Comments
Key Code
Non-Final Grades: (Report periods 5, 10, 15)
I: Incomplete, M: Meets Standard, N: No Mark
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35. What’s Next?
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36. Contact School & Set up a Conference
If you are concerned, question or don’t understand something on the report card
If you notice any D or F
If you notice uncleared or excessive absences
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37. Communication with Child
Speak with your child about their understanding of why they received those marks.
Let your child know that you will be meeting with his/her teacher or counselor.
Invite your child to the conference (if appropriate).
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38. Resources
Websites:
 LAUSD:
Pupil Services – Program and Services – Attendance Improvement Programs – AIP toolkit
Pupil Services – Resources – Parent Guardian
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39. Education is Everyone’s Business
Home, School & Community
Parents, schools and communities must work together to increase student attendance, student achievement, and high school graduation rates.
Let’s give our youth the future that they deserve!
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40. Copyright - 2015 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved