Reducing Chronic Absence Why Does It Matter? What Can We Do? CCSESA April 27, 2014

I. Why Attendance Matters & What Turns Chronic Absence Around (Gordon Jackson, CDE & Hedy Chang, Attendance Works) II. Making a Difference in Del Norte, CA (Don Olson, Del Norte County USD) III. Building County Capacity Across CA ( Gordon Jackson, CDE) IV.Table Talk and Group Discussion What are the chronic absence levels in districts in your county? What would help districts in your county implemented a tiered, data-driven approach to improving attendance? What would help your county advance this work? Agenda 2

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. -Albert Einstein It is safe to say that we have an attendance problem in too many California schools. We know that students are more likely to succeed in life when they start out attending school regularly. When students are not in school they are more likely to get “schooled” about life in not the best of ways. Dropout patterns are linked with poor attendance beginning in kindergarten. School budgets are linked to attendance and schools with high absences have less money to address essential classroom needs.

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction California Context Chronic Absence in the Elementary Grades is a Major Barrier to Achievement An estimated 250,000 students (K–5) were Chronically Absent in 2013–14. Source: Office of California Attorney General Kamala Harris. In School + On Track 2014

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Benefits of Reducing Chronic Absence Starting with the Elementary Grades Increase funding for districts (More Average Daily Attendance) Chronic absence (missing 10 percent of school for any reason including excused and unexcused absence) in elementary school has often been overlooked Reduce negative student outcomes linked with absenteeism such as lack of proficiency in reading by third grade and eventual course failure and dropout.

Average Daily Attendance Nationally, ADA is generally understood as the % of enrolled students who attend school each day. In California, for funding purposes, it is also defined as total days of student attendance divided by total days of student instruction. Truancy Typically refers only to unexcused absences and is defined by each state under No Child Left Behind. It signals the potential need for legal intervention under state compulsory education laws. In CA, it refers to a child absent 3 days without a valid excuse or late 3 times to class by at last 30 minutes without a valid excuse. Chronic Absence Missing 10% or more of school for any reason – excused, unexcused, etc. It is an indication that a student is academically at risk due to missing too much school. This definition is reflected in CA Ed Code Use Multiple Attendance Measures to Identify Gaps 6

90% and even 95% ≠ A High Levels of Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Can Mask Chronic Absence 98% ADA = little chronic absence 95% ADA = don’t know 93% ADA = significant chronic absence 7

Truancy (unexcused absences) Can Also Mask Chronic Absence 8

Multiple Years of Elementary Chronic Absence = Worse Middle School Outcomes Oakland Unified School District SY , Analysis By Attendance Works Chronic absence in 1 st grade is also associated with: Lower 6 th grade test scores Higher levels of suspension Years of Chronic Absence in Grades 1-5 Increase in probability of 6 th grade chronic absence Each year of chronic absence in elementary school is associated with a substantially higher probability of chronic absence in 6 th grade 5.9x 7.8x 18.0x 9

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 10

AW Recommended Site Level Strategies for Debunking Myths and Identifying Barriers 11

High Cost Low Cost 12 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 adoption of a tiered approach that begins with prevention TIER 1 All students Provide personalized early outreach Meet with student/family to develop plan Offer attendance Mentor/Buddy or Walk to School Companion 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)

Pilot Survey by Todd Rogers At Harvard Vast Majority of Parents, Even Students Those With Excessive Absences, Believe Their Child’s Attendance is same as classmates, better than classmates, or just don’t know

Harvard research study found comparison reduced absence by 5-10% for all students, regardless of severity of absenteeism

 Chronic absence (missed 10% or more of school) in the prior year, assuming data is available.  And/or starting in the beginning of the school year, student has: Criteria for Identifying Priority Students for Tier 2 Supports 15 In first 2 weeks In first month (4 weeks) In first 2 months (8 weeks) 2 absences 2-3 absences 4 absences Missing 10% any time after

Possible Tier 2 Interventions ( See Power of Positive Connections Toolkit ) 16 Assign Attendance Buddies Partner with families/students to develop Student Attendance Success Plan Recruit for engaging Before- or After-School Activities Connect to Walk- to-School Companion Offer plan or contacts for Health Support Priority Early Outreach for Positive Linkages and Engagement

Students & Families Schools Actionable Data Positive Messaging Capacity Building Shared Accountability Is accurate, accessible, and regularly reported Expands ability to interpret data and work together to adopt best practices Conveys why building a habit of attendance is important and what chronic absence is Ensures monitoring & incentives to address chronic absence Community District Ingredients for System-wide Success & Sustainability Strategic partnerships between district and community partners address specific attendance barriers and mobilize support for all ingredients 17

FREE FROM ATTENDANCE WORKS! The California District Attendance Tracking Tools (DATT) and School Attendance Tracking Tools (SATT) Providing baseline data across grades, schools, most sub-populations. Available in Three Modules (Grades TK-5 ; Grades 6-8 ; Grades 9-12 plus tool to create K-12 report) Supplemental Truancy Module Easy One-Button Interface for Aeries users and compatible with all SIS systems. What Tools Are Available To Calculate Chronic Absence? 18

California Truancy Supplement Looks at Absences by Excused, Unexcused and Suspensions 19 Register here: calculating-chronic-absence/california-tools/

20 Del Norte, CA Why did you get involved in addressing chronic absence? What did you learn when you first calculated chronic absence levels? What has worked to improve chronic absence in Del Norte?

Rural district in Northern California Eleven schools Highest levels of chronic absence in K and 12 th grades Del Norte 21

One of out 6 (16%) Del Norte Students are Chronically Absent

Annually approximately 500 Del Norte students are at risk academically due to absenteeism.

Attendance is a top priority Monthly attendance reports to the board Provide chronic absence data Professional development for principals and social workers Positive messaging Leveraged LCAP/LCFF funds to hire social workers for every school Addressing Chronic Absence in Del Norte 24

Chronic Absence in Del Norte ( elementary) 11/12 – 13/14 25

Chronic Absence Over Time ( middle school) (11/12 – 13/14) 26

Chronic Absence over time ( high school) (11/12 – 13/14 ) 27

– Changes in ADA & Chronic Absence By School 28 School Name YTD Avg Updated YTD Difference Bess Maxwell94.81%94.90%0.09% Joe Hamilton94.84%94.81%-0.03% Margaret Keating92.43%93.00%0.56% Mary Peacock95.5%95.69%0.22% Mountain96.01%96.25%0.24% Pine Grove94.99%95.25%0.26% Redwood95.25%95.36%0.11% Smith River96.99%97.93%0.94% 2.39%

Period AttendanceYTD 12-13YTD 13-14Difference Crescent Elk94.10%95.23%1.13% DNHS92.91%93.22%0.31% Sunset80.32%89.47%9.15% – Period Attendance Improves as well 29

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Building County Capacity: California (CDE/COE) Attendance Peer Learning Network

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction What Will We Do Together? Increase County Office of Education Capacity to Support Districts to: Analyze each district’s elementary attendance data to identify how much chronic absence is a problem and where is it concentrated. Partner with school site leaders and community agencies to implement a tiered approach to improving attendance Build capacity of principals to put in place effective strategies for reducing chronic absence in their elementary schools

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction County Office of Education Role Each County Office of Education will have the opportunity to: Designate a skilled staff person to receive support and resources as the county project lead and local facilitator Offer three school district teams from their county the chance to participate in a high quality peer learning experience Partner with CDE and Attendance Works to provide coaching calls to help local teams advance in their work

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Our Proposed Roadmap

1.Do you know the levels of chronic absence in districts within your county? If so, what are they? 2.What would help districts in your county to implement a tiered, data-driven approach to improving attendance? 3.What would help your county advance this work? Table Talk and Group Discussion 34