1. A Three-tiered Approach to Improving Student Attendance
Lisa Wisham
USOE Education Specialist
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Susan Loving
Special Education – Transition, Dropout Prevention

2. Questions to Consider…..
How is attendance collected in your school?
What is your policy regarding excused absences? Do they still count as absences?
Do students need to/are they able to make up work?
How does your school differentiate between absences and truancy?
Is every effort made to keep students in class (e.g., reduce suspensions, schedule events after school)?
Does your school have a system in place to identify students who are chronically absent?
What (if any) is the follow-up when a student is identified?

3. What do you know? Do you know your school’s average daily attendance?
Has it been improving or staying the same over the last 3 years?
How does it compare with nearby schools?
Do you know which of your kids miss the most school?

4. What’s Your Guess?
How many absences for one student could be an early sign of falling off track?
What percent of days missed is commonly considered a red flag?

5. Definition of Chronic Absence
Missing 10% or more of school for any reason – excused or unexcused.
*Recommended by Attendance Works (
If a student misses a day every 2 weeks, that is 10% of learning time missed – or almost 4 weeks of school.
It is an indication that a student is academically at risk due to missing too much school.
Distinct from truancy.

6. Definition of Chronic Absence - Utah
Missing 10% of the school year (≥18 days) for any reason – not in rule, but used in USOE documents
Truancy is described in Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Rule:
USBE R Truancy Prevention
1A. "Habitual truant" means a school age-minor who: (1) is at least 12 years old; (2) is subject to the requirements of Section 53A ; and (3)(a) is truant for at least five times during one school year; and (3)(b) fails to cooperate with efforts on the part of school authorities to resolve the minor's attendance problem required under Section 53A
1F. "Truant" means absent without a valid excuse
UCA §53A A habitual truant citation may not be issued to a habitual truant if the habitual truant: (i) has at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average; and (ii) is at least 16 years old.

8. Utah Data A 2012 University of Utah study found that:
Chronic absenteeism in Utah is pervasive, with approximately 1 out of 7 students chronically absent every year.
A student who is chronically absent in any year between 8th and 12th grade is 7.4 times more likely to drop out of school.
Chronic absenteeism is associated with lower test scores, lower grades, and lower graduation rates.

10. Cumulative Influence of Chronic Absence on Dropping Out
Table. Proportion of Students Dropping Out by Number of Years the Student was Chronically Absent
Each year of chronic absenteeism increased the chance that a student would drop out.
Students chronically absent 2+ years were more likely to drop out than they were to graduate.
Source: Utah Education Policy Center—Chronic Absenteeism in Utah (2012)

12. Elementary Chronic Absence Is A Statewide Challenge in Utah
In Utah, 12% (36,638) of elementary students are chronically absent.
Source: Voices for Utah Children

13. That’s the problem…is there a solution?

16. Universal Supports
Universal supports are intrinsic to the school culture and are offered to all students with the goal of establishing 96 percent attendance (proficient) or better throughout the student body.

17. Suggestions for Universal Supports
With any parent contact, always be considerate of home language and preferred form of communication
Teacher or Secretary follow up
All absences are followed up with a phone call
Some schools use automated absence notification (more impersonal)
Tardy Letters
Remind parents of school policy, class schedule, school start time
Post around the school as a reminder of start time
Tardy Station
Place where students can get tardy slips to take to class – helps identify students who have many tardies
Students can bring doctor/parent excuse notes to this station

18. Student Incentive Plans
Students are rewarded for good/improved attendance
Letters are sent home quarterly
Nurse Follow Up
Counselors/administration work with school nurse to coordinate efforts and suggest solutions/resources for health-related absences
Teacher Training
Teachers are provided with school/district attendance policy, including requirement for taking attendance
Clarify excused/unexcused absences and questions of making up work
This helps provide consistency across classrooms/schools
Teach Attendance

19. Teach Attendance – Core Attendance Concepts
Clear expectations of positive attendance
Compulsory attendance laws
Benefits of good attendance
Should be motivational and relevant
School calendar and schedules
Morning routines
Importance, what they should look like, how to encourage at home
Evening routines

20. Core Concepts, continued
Plans for coming to school
People to support you coming to school
Creating “back-up” systems
Others to support you that are different from those in your plan
Self-care
Best practices for staying healthy, sleep requirements, mental health
Consequences of poor attendance
Academic, school activities, post school education and employment

21. Methods for Teaching Core Concepts
School-wide assemblies
Classroom instruction
Announcements and notifications
Parent/student handbook
Newsletters
Follow up assemblies
Parent education
Community education
Reinforcement of positive attendance behaviors

22. Targeted Supports
Targeted supports are provided to students with basic attendance (92 to 95 percent) and below basic attendance (87 to 91 percent).

23. Suggestions for Targeted Supports
Reteach Attendance Core Concepts
Student Incentive Plan
May be part of College and Career Readiness Plan
May include incentives for improved attendance
Parent Phone Conferences
Conversation about how attendance impacts learning
Addressing concerns may uncover parent perceptions of student absence
Tardy/absence Letters
Personalized letters to parents
Good back up to phone conversations

24. Automatic Letters/emails/Texts
Usually generated by school secretaries and are of a standard system-wide format
Monitoring Ongoing Attendance Data
School-wide and individual student reports
Used to identify appropriate interventions
In-School Parent Conferences
Opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation about attendance behaviors
Relevant school staff may attend and/or contribute through written reports

25. School-wide Student Support Team Meeting
Data (academic, behavioral, attendance) are reviewed
Interventions and goals based on data are developed, implemented, and monitored for student progress
Principal/Administrator/Truancy Officer Phone Call
Used when less intimidating phone calls haven’t been effective
Home Visits
Can be an effective approach for engaging families with the school
Often helps provide deeper understanding of environmental factors contributing to absence
Consider safety/risk of school personnel conducting home visits

26. Intensive Supports
Intensive supports are provided to students with far below basic attendance (less than 87 percent).

27. Intensive Supports
Review and Follow LEA Policy for Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy
Policy is required under both USBE Rule and Utah State Statute
Multi-agency Meeting
May need to convene a meeting with appropriate LEA staff (e.g., psychologist, social worker, resource officer), state agencies (e.g., DCFS, JJS), family, and, as appropriate, the student
Court
Issue a habitual truant citation as outlined in Utah Code 53A

28. If Interventions Are Implemented with Fidelity….
Student learning increases.
Academics
Organizational skills
Social skills/behavior
Students have a better chance of graduating from high school.
Graduating from high school is connected with better post school outcomes (college and employment).

29. Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Thank you!
Questions? Comments? Concerns?