Attendance is An Essential Ingredient of Academic Success 2 Attainment Over Time Achievement Every Year Attendance Every Day Developed by Annie E. Casey Foundation & America’s Promise Alliance For more info go to 3 A School Success Framework

3  Nationwide, as many as 7.5 million students miss nearly a month of school every year. That’s 135 million days of lost time in the classroom.  Research shows that chronically absent students are less likely to succeed academically, read on grade level and are more likely to be suspended and eventually dropout.  Poor attendance is a problem pre-kindergarten through 12 th grade. With the highest rates of chronic absence occurring at the beginning and the end of the student’s school career. Chronic Absence A Hidden National Crisis

What is Chronic Absence? Excused Absences Unexcused absences Suspensions Chronic Absence Attendance Works recommends defining chronic absence as missing 10% or more of school for any reason. Chronic absence is different from truancy (unexcused absences only) or average daily attendance (how many students show up to school each day). 4

5 Why We May Not Notice Chronic Absence Absences Add Up Chronic Absence = 18 days of absence = 2 days a month

How Can We Address Chronic Absence?

Find Out Why Students Are Chronically Absent Myths Absences are only a problem if they are unexcused Sporadic versus consecutive absences aren’t a problem Attendance only matters in the older grades Barriers Lack of access to health or dental care Poor transportation No safe path to school Aversion Child struggling academically Lack of engaging instruction Poor school climate and ineffective school discipline Parents had negative school experience Chronic disease 7

High Cost Low Cost 8 Recognize good and improved attendance Educate & engage students and families Monitor attendance data Clarify attendance expectations and goals Establish positive and engaging school climate Improving Attendance Requires a Tiered Approach TIER 1 All students at priority schools Provide personalized early outreach Meet with student/family to develop plan Offer attendance Mentor/Buddy TIER 2 Students exhibiting chronic absence (missing 10%) Intensive case management with coordination of public agency and legal response as needed TIER 3 Students who missed 20% or more of the prior school year (severe chronic absence)

Our PTA can provide excellent Tier 1 support!

Attendance messages: Create stickers or buttons Print out poster and banners Display student art/ messages Materials at Build School Awareness 10

Pencils, stickers, book marks, etc Weekly drawings for prizes for “perfect attendance this week” students Names/ photos on “attendance honor roll” near main office – for monthly good attendance Team certificates for best/ most improved attendance Pizza party/ smoothie party for classroom/ homeroom which first reaches 17 days of PERFECT ATTENDANCE (high school) Reserved parking space for week Create incentives for good or improved attendance. Examples: 11

Discussion of how attendance is our students’ first/ best job – and what a difference it will make. We will not schedule medical appointments or vacations during the hours school is in session. We will not keep our children at home unless they are truly sick. For challenging situations – school anxiety, bullying, chronic health issues, transportation problems – we will reach out to caring school personnel for assistance. We will partner with other families to support one another. We will honor and celebrate our students’ good attendance. We can support good attendance in our own families. 12

13 We can’t solve everything...but we can make a big difference by Supporting and celebrating excellent school attendance for all of our students.

For more information please visit Connect with United Way at Victoria Manning, MHA Director of Community Investment United Way of Central Carolinas Direct line: