Division of Student Support Services Buffalo Public Schools 2016 -2019 Attendance Improvement Plan Division of Student Support Services

Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Comprehensive Attendance Improvement Plan The Comprehensive Attendance Improvement plan represents a school community approach to improving attendance that will incorporate strategies that district offices, schools, parent groups, and community based organizations will partner to execute. The plan outlines objectives that are designed to increase attendance throughout the district and meet the goals of providing services to the district’s most neediest children and families, as outlined in the District’s New Education Bargain with Students and Families. The plan is structured to cover a three year period that incorporates annual incremental goals that will lead to the 2019 goal. Five priority objectives have been identified through the collaborative development of the plan and represents a start to the important work of developing strategies that will address the following goals: Decrease the percentage of students missing 20.01% or more days of school (Severe). Decrease the percentage of students missing 10.01-20% days of school (Chronic). Decrease the percentage of students missing 5.01-10% days of school (At-Risk). Increase elementary school attendance to 95% by year ending 2019. Increase secondary school attendance to 90% by year ending 2019.

“The New Education Bargain with Students and Parents” Buffalo Public Schools Student Support Plan Guiding Objective “The New Education Bargain with Students and Parents”   Rigorous Early Elementary Education Strong Community Schools New Innovative High Schools Extended Learning Excellence for All Our Students Services for Our Neediest Children and Families New Relationship with Our Teachers Ensure the BEST Instruction for ALL our Children - Every day, in Every classroom, in Every subject, for Every year of School

Buffalo Public Schools Neediest Children and Families Students that present behavioral issues that result in suspension or potential suspension Students with Attendance issues (Chronic, Severe, At-Risk) Students that are pregnant and/or parenting Students experiencing homelessness Students with Disabilities (SWD) that challenge their ability to be successful Students that have been traumatized (i.e. victims of bullying, child abuse, sexual abuse, war, etc.) ELL students (New Americans) displaying social adjustment issues Students experiencing mental illness Students with medical issues that may prevent successful academic achievement (Medically ill, 504 students, lead paint exposure, etc. ) Disconnected students with engagement issues (in school but not engaged academically)

Comprehensive Attendance Improvement Plan Development Partners District Offices Division Student Support Services Division of Curriculum and Instruction Office of School Leadership Office of Strategic Alignment and Innovation Department of Special Education Department of Multilingual Education District Committees District Implementation Team School Based Principals Teacher Focus Group Parent Groups District Coordinating Council (DPCC) Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization (BPTO) Community-Based and National Organizations Citizen’s Action Say Yes Buffalo Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition Attendance Works

Projected Implementation Timeline Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Attendance Improvement Priority Actions Priority 1 - Enhance District-wide Attendance Improvement and Dropout Prevention Supports Projected Implementation Timeline Objective 1 Establish a district-wide attendance recognition program for students and schools. Summer 2016 Objective 2 Establish a truancy prevention hotline Objective 3 Establish a truancy drop-in center Fall 2017 Objective 4 Update the district's Attendance Policy Objective 5 Develop a marketing campaign and materials to encourage consistent school attendance and high school completion Objective 6 Enhance student supports to the neediest children and families (i.e. homeless, pregnant and parenting, New Americans, etc...) Immediate and Ongoing Objective 7 Develop a more effective system for reporting attendance to critical stakeholders (i.e. OSL, principals)

Projected Implementation Timeline Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Attendance Improvement Priority Actions Priority 2 - Support and Increase the capacity of schools to meet the needs of students and parents Projected Implementation Timeline Objective 1 Establish/Enhance targeted early intervention, targeted and individualized supports for students. Summer 2016 Objective 2 Establish an attendance improvement and dropout prevention manual for schools that outlines the district and school processes for addressing absenteeism and non completion issues. Objective 3 Enhance the model of attendance service delivery provided by school based attendance teachers. Objective 4 Provide professional development to school staff (i.e. teachers, parent facilitators) that will enhance their understanding of the impact of poverty and trauma on attendance and school completion. Fall 2016 – Spring 2019 Objective 5 Develop a referral process for students that fall into the at-risk, chronic, and severe absence category and make appropriate referrals to Family Court, Erie County Family Services Team, or PINS Diversion. Objective 6 Improve the district's data accuracy and accountability of student attendance. Immediate and Ongoing

Projected Implementation Timeline Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Attendance Improvement Priority Actions Priority 3 - Engage and educate parents and students to realize students full potential to succeed in school and beyond Projected Implementation Timeline Objective 1 Increase communication with parents and students about the importance of school attendance (i.e. newsletters, report cards, quarterly learning opportunities). Summer 2016 Objective 2 Enhance the utilization of the District's absences notification process and system to parents (SchoolConnect). Fall 2016 Objective 3 Establish Attendance Conferences for parents of students that have achieved at-risk, chronic, and severe absenteeism. – Fall 2017 Objective 4 Work with Erie County PINS and Department of Social Services to ensure parents have more supports to ensure their children are attending school consistently. Spring 2016 Spring 2017 Objective 5 Empower student leadership teams to create a campaign to increase student achievement. Objective 6 Expand the district's website to include material on the importance of school attendance and completion. - Spring 2019

Projected Implementation Timeline Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Attendance Improvement Priority Actions Priority 4 - Enhance School's capacity to support Attendance Improvement & Dropout Prevention Efforts Projected Implementation Timeline Objective 1 Establish as a function of a school based team (i.e. School Leadership Team, Student Support Team, etc.) a weekly review of attendance records and non attendance cases and develop individualized and group approaches toward addressing student absences. Fall 2016 – Spring 2017 Objective 2 Identify attendance designees (will also serve as Homeless Education and Project A.C.T. Designees ) in each school to serve as the point of contact to liaison between school and central office. Objective 3 Leverage school partnerships to increase attendance supports (i.e. parent/teacher organizations, community based, corporate). Fall 2017 Objective 4 Establish attendance goals (e.g. grade level/ cohort etc.) that the entire school community works to achieve. Objective 5 Align funding and resources to focus on continuous attendance improvement strategies.

Projected Implementation Timeline Student Support Services 2016 – 2019 Attendance Improvement Priority Actions Priority 5 - Engage the Community Projected Implementation Timeline Objective 1 Establish a District Student Attendance Committee made up of school community stakeholders to establish a school and community collaborative approach , provide input on district attendance and dropout prevention initiatives, leverage and align capacity and resources, and to innovate and challenge our collective approach to problems and policies that have consistently impacted student success. Spring 2016 Objective 2 Collaborate with community-based organizations on the development, implementation and monitoring of programs, initiatives and supports. Objective 3 Establish local and national partnerships to increase attendance and decrease occurrences of dropout. Objective 4 Review data to enable groups to restructure and organize further supports for schools. Summer 2016