1. Using School Data To Build A Culture Of Care Around Chronically Absent Students
DC Data Summit
July 14, 2016
Amanda Klein

2. Agenda Introductions (5 minutes)
What is chronic absence? What does the research say? (15 minutes)
Addressing Chronic Absence: Data collection and usage discussion (30 minutes)
Sample protocol and tools for attendance data (15 minutes)
Taking an asset-based approach (15 minutes)
Questions and Answers (10 minutes)

3. Objectives for Today’s Workshop
Participants will …
Gain a better understanding of the research around and critical importance of chronic absenteeism.
Learn and discuss the need for asset-based, not deficit- based interventions for chronically absent students and families.
Walk away with strategies and sample tools that they can use to better track attendance and corresponding interventions.

4. Introductions
Amanda Klein is the owner of Structured Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm in Baltimore, MD. She has spent her career working with students, families, and teachers in schools and non-profits. Her business helps schools and non-profit organizations improve family engagement and student attendance, develop data collection and tracking systems, and build structures into previously undefined roles.
Amanda holds two degrees from Johns Hopkins University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in K-12 Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University.
Ask participants the following questions. Raise your hand if …
You live in DC/MD/VA/elsewhere.
You work in a school.
You work in policy or government.
You work for a non-profit organization.
You work in research or academia.
You are actively involved in attendance work.
You are familiar with advanced statistics and data analysis.
You know how to interpret basic statistics in your work.
You hate data/are scared of it/avoid it entirely!

5. What is Chronic Absence?
Ask the audience to see what they already know about the topic.

6. What is Chronic Absence?
A student who is chronically absent has missed more than 10 percent of the school year, usually falling between 18 and 20 days (excused or unexcused).
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012). The Importance of Being in School

7. Regular vs. Chronic Absence
Regular Absence
Chronic Absence
Occasionally misses a day or two of school
Frequently misses school, often multiple days at a time
May happen because of temporary illness or a family emergency
Barriers for getting to school, such as homelessness, transportation, chronic illness
No particular patterns of absence
Patterns of 2 or more days per month, across multiple school years

8. What does the research tell us about chronic absence?
One in 10 kindergarten students miss nearly a month of school every year. In some districts, it runs as high as 1 in 3.
Approximately 5 to 7.5 million children miss 18+ days each school year.
It usually happens across multiple school years and at peak transition times: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade.
Students from impoverished and disadvantaged communities are far more likely to be chronically absent than their wealthier peers.
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012)

9. What does the research tell us about chronic absence?
One in 10 kindergarten students miss nearly a month of school every year. In some districts, it runs as high as 1 in 3.
Approximately 5 to 7.5 million children miss 18+ days each school year.
It usually happens across multiple school years and at peak transition times: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade.
Students from impoverished and disadvantaged communities are far more likely to be chronically absent than their wealthier peers.
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012)

10. What does the research tell us about chronic absence?
One in 10 kindergarten students miss nearly a month of school every year. In some districts, it runs as high as 1 in 3.
Approximately 5 to 7.5 million children miss 18+ days each school year.
It usually happens across multiple school years and at peak transition times: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade.
Students from impoverished and disadvantaged communities are far more likely to be chronically absent than their wealthier peers.
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012)

11. What does the research tell us about chronic absence?
One in 10 kindergarten students miss nearly a month of school every year. In some districts, it runs as high as 1 in 3.
Approximately 5 to 7.5 million children miss 18+ days each school year.
It usually happens across multiple school years and at peak transition times: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade.
Students from impoverished and disadvantaged communities are far more likely to be chronically absent than their wealthier peers.
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012)

12. Long-Term Impact of Chronic Absence
A student who misses 20 or more days beginning in Pre-K or Kindergarten…
Pre-K and K
Misses daily schoolwork, skill-building, and socialization
3rd Grade
Significantly less likely to read on grade level
5th grade
Lower academic achievement
Less likely to be identified for needed services
Middle/High School
Higher rates of suspension and dropout

13. Why We Need to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
Helping families get their students to school every day is “one of the most effective strategies for providing pathways out of poverty” because being in school leads to higher achievement and better outcomes.
Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (May 2012). The Importance of Being in School

14. This problem can be reversed with proper tracking and interventions.
THE GOOD NEWS
Over 50% of students who missed 18+ days in Pre-K were able to catch up academically after improving their attendance.
This problem can be reversed with proper tracking and interventions.
Connolly, F. and Olson, L. (March 2012). Early Elementary Performance and Attendance in Baltimore City Schools’ Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

15. How Do We Address Chronic Absence?
Ask audience how they think chronic absence should be addressed – how do you find out a student is chronically absent, what do you do when you know?

16. How Do We Address Chronic Absence?
First Step … DATA.

17. … DATA.
Ask audience: what are some common perceptions of data, fears or insecurities about using it?

18. Collecting Attendance Data
What types of data can schools currently access?
Ask for participants to share what data they can access. Adapt as necessary for non-school level participants.
Participants can use the sample data set or their own school data to see what data points they have. (5 minutes)

19. Collecting Attendance Data
What types of data can schools currently access?
Average Daily Attendance Rate (ADA)
Attendance on any given day
Attendance by Homeroom

20. Collecting Attendance Data
These don’t show us the whole picture!
Average Daily Attendance Rate (ADA)
Attendance on any given day
Attendance by Homeroom
Chronic absenteeism is often masked by a high ADA. Even schools with 95% ADA can have up to 30% of their students missing 20 days or more.

21. Designing Data Collection Tools
What should an attendance tracking sheet ideally include?
Ask the audience to discuss what they would want to know. Share out. (5-10 min)

22. Designing Data Collection Tools
What should an attendance tracking sheet ideally include?
Observed patterns (by school, by class, by student)
Sorted student records (top-down)
Documented context and pertinent information
Recorded interventions
With this information, schools can take action!

23. Examples of Data Collection Tools

24. Examples of Data Collection Tools

25. What Can We Learn from More Thorough Data Collection?
Participants can use the sample data set or their own school data to examine patterns in different ways, observe how they could reorganize the data, etc. (10 min)

26. What Can We Learn from More Thorough Data Collection?
Insight into why individual families are struggling to get their kids to school
Patterns at the school, grade, or classroom level
Ex. 1: Our school gets out early on Wednesdays for PD, and every Wednesday, our attendance is down. Maybe we need to adjust the schedule.
Ex. 2: Every time it rains, our attendance plummets. Maybe we need to get umbrellas with the school name on them to give out to families or arrange for carpools.
Ability to compare students longitudinally
Ex. Last year, she missed 20 days of school because mom worked overnight, but this year grandma brings her to school and she is always on time.
Participants can use the sample data set or their own school data to examine patterns in different ways, observe how they could reorganize the data, etc. (10 min)

27. Process of Data Collection and Use
Daily Steps:
Attendance Monitor enters daily attendance information
Attendance Team checks system data daily and updates tracking sheets
Attendance Team makes phone calls to students missing school

28. Process of Data Collection and Use
Weekly/Bi-Weekly Steps:
Attendance Team sends letters home after certain number of absences.
Attendance Team meets to discuss families/students who are struggling.
Teachers weigh in on concerns or information they may have.

29. Process of Data Collection and Use
Steps that occur as needed:
Attendance Team conducts home visits for students who have troubling patterns of attendance.

30. How Do We Address Chronic Absence?
First Step … DATA.
Second Step … Relationships with students and families

31. What is a Culture of Care?
According to Murphy and Torre (2014), there are four norms within a “community of pastoral care.”
Care (knowing students well, establishing trustworthiness)
Support (assistance, monitoring, advocating)
Safety (non-punitive, preventive, positive focus)
Membership (involvement, accomplishment)
These are all critical for effective attendance intervention.

32. Examples of a deficit-based conversation:
Typical Approach
Schools, especially those that are failing or disadvantaged, often take a deficit-based approach, which assumes that there is something wrong with a student or family.
Examples of a deficit-based conversation:
“Why aren’t you getting your kids to school regularly/on time?”
“Those children just missed two days last week. Why are they out again?”
“Why can’t they get their kids to school?”
Murphy and Torre. (2014) Creating Productive Cultures in Schools for Students, Teachers, and Parents.

33. Simply put, “context matters.”
Asset-Based Approach
Asserts that “problems and failure are not attributed to children and their families”
Takes an optimistic and proactive approach to helping students and families through their struggles
Increases the amount and quality of contact, relationships, and understanding of parents
Simply put, “context matters.”
Murphy and Torre. (2014) Creating Productive Cultures in Schools for Students, Teachers, and Parents.
Have you seen a deficit-based approach used in your schools? How can we transform our mindset into an asset-based approach?

34. Instead of, “Why aren’t you bringing your child to school?” …
Asset-Based Approach
Instead of, “Why aren’t you bringing your child to school?” …
Parents will hear:
“You have done a great job of supporting your child in their academics. Attendance is another way you can do that.”
“Your daughter is always dressed beautifully and well- taken care of, so I know how much you care about her schooling too.”
“Your son is such a kind and polite kid, and we love having him here. How can we help get him here every day?”
Remember that these should be genuine statements based on the relationships you have built/are building with these families.

35. Asset-Based Approach When parents and students feel that they are:
cared about,
supported,
safe, and
that they belong,
you will start to learn why they are really missing school.
Once that trust has been established, then true interventions (service referrals, following up with parents) will begin to work.

36. How Do We Address Chronic Absence?
First Step … DATA.
Second Step … Relationships with students and families
Third Step … Continue outreach and support, while celebrating improvements

37. Thank you for participating!
Any Questions?
Amanda Klein