Key factors:
In my position as Assistant Director of Scholar Companies, I’ve realized that probably the most essential consider enhancing pupil attendance isn’t about insurance policies or procedures–it’s about connections. Our district serves a various neighborhood of hardworking households, together with many newcomer households. We’ve confronted our share of challenges, particularly within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, however we’re making strides by specializing in what issues most: our college students and their households.
In Alvord Unified, we’ve realized that operationalizing our strategic targets round attendance isn’t nearly setting targets–it’s about creating techniques that foster significant engagement. By specializing in constructing robust school-home connections, we’re not solely enhancing attendance charges, but in addition driving improved pupil outcomes throughout the board. Our method demonstrates that once we align our each day operations with our broader strategic imaginative and prescient, we are able to create a faculty setting the place each pupil is empowered to succeed.
Earlier than the pandemic, our district maintained a good 95 p.c attendance fee, with power absenteeism hovering between 12 p.c and 14 p.c–on par with surrounding districts and nationwide averages. Nevertheless, when COVID-19 hit, we noticed our power absenteeism spike to 25 to 30 p.c, mirroring the struggles confronted by districts nationwide.
The pandemic created a chance for a brand new method to attendance administration
As we emerged from the pandemic, it turned clear that we would have liked a brand new technique. For years, our Native Management and Accountability Plan (LCAP) had included provisions for an attendance administration program, however implementation had at all times been pushed to the again burner. The post-COVID panorama, with its distinctive challenges and shifting priorities, offered the proper alternative to revisit this want.
Through the top of the pandemic, our faculty websites had been overwhelmed. They had been juggling COVID case monitoring, managing durations of publicity, and attempting to take care of some semblance of regular operations. It was throughout a dialog about lowering the burden of attendance letter mailings that I noticed our likelihood. If we may automate these processes, we may liberate our workers to deal with what actually issues: connecting with college students and households.
After researching choices and consulting with colleagues at state conferences, we determined to implement SchoolStatus as our attendance administration system. This transfer wasn’t nearly monitoring numbers; it was about remodeling how we method attendance altogether.
SchoolStatus has change into an integral a part of our attendance technique. It handles far more than simply systematic notifications. The system automates our attendance monitoring, producing real-time studies that permit us to establish developments and at-risk college students rapidly. It manages our compliance necessities, making certain we ship out legally mandated notifications, just like the essential first discover that outlines dad and mom’ obligations below California’s Training Code. This technique permits us to operationalize our strategic targets round attendance, turning our imaginative and prescient into concrete, each day actions.
However maybe most significantly, we are able to now prioritize our outreach efforts. By offering clear, actionable knowledge, workers can focus their power on the scholars and households who want probably the most assist. This focused method means we’re not simply sending out blanket communications, however initiating significant, customized interventions.
Private connections are the cornerstone of our attendance technique
Now our groups have time to make private calls to households. These aren’t simply check-ins; they’re alternatives to grasp the obstacles households face and provide actual options. Whether or not it’s offering details about inexpensive public transportation, providing bus passes, and even serving to with fuel playing cards, we’re dedicated to breaking down any impediment that stands between a pupil and their training.
I at all times inform our crew: “It doesn’t matter what number of applications we provide in case your youngster isn’t coming to highschool. I can have social staff, neighborhood staff, and/or counselors–and serve steak and lobster day by day–nevertheless it doesn’t matter in case your child doesn’t come within the door. We will’t assist you as a pupil or as a household should you’re not right here.”
The effectivity gained by having a complete attendance administration resolution has allowed us to shift our focus from managing paperwork to managing relationships. Our workers can now spend their time having these essential conversations with households, understanding their distinctive conditions, and dealing collectively to seek out options that work for everybody.
To additional strengthen our neighborhood ties, we’ve instituted “Neighborhood Connection Days.” On as of late, our complete Academic Companies crew–about 20 individuals–steps out of the workplace and into the neighborhood. We knock on doorways, not as disciplinarians, however as involved educators trying to assist. It’s about displaying households that the whole district, from the classroom to the executive workplace, cares about their youngster’s success. These initiatives exemplify our dedication to engagement that drives improved pupil outcomes, displaying how private connections can translate into tangible outcomes.
Our efforts are paying off with improved attendance charges
Our efforts are paying off. Within the 2021-2022 college yr, our P2 report (which determines funding primarily based on common each day attendance) got here in at 91.5 p.c. The next yr, we hit 93.15 p.c–an enchancment of over 1.5 share factors. Once you’re speaking a couple of district with about 16,000 college students, that enhance means we’re getting extra youngsters to highschool and extra youngsters engaged each single day.
As we proceed to operationalize our strategic targets, we’re setting formidable targets and implementing complete measures to attain them. This yr, we’re aiming even greater with a objective of 95 p.c attendance. We’re not simply dreaming huge; we’re placing within the work to make it occur:
- We’ve secured a $9.5 million Neighborhood Colleges Grant, permitting us to rent six neighborhood coordinators to construct even stronger household connections.
- We’re implementing a district-wide Multi-Tiered System of Helps (MTSS) to make sure we’re assembly the wants of all college students.
- We’ve introduced on 9 social work interns and two full-time social staff to supply extra assist.
- We’re investing in Optimistic Behavioral Interventions and Helps (PBIS) at each elementary and secondary ranges.
- We’re increasing our Saturday College applications, which not solely present extra studying alternatives but in addition assist get better attendance days.
Creating a way of belonging is on the coronary heart of our attendance efforts
On the finish of the day, what issues most is that each pupil feels they belong in our faculty neighborhood. It’s not nearly getting youngsters in seats; it’s about creating an setting the place they need to be. As educators, our job is to genuinely care about every pupil’s success and to make it possible for care is felt by each the scholars and their households.
If there’s one piece of recommendation I can provide to different districts trying to enhance attendance, it’s this: Get to know your neighborhood. Perceive their tales, their struggles, and their strengths. Be environment friendly in your processes, however by no means on the expense of compassion. As a result of when a father or mother or pupil can inform that you just genuinely care about their success, that’s when actual change begins to occur.
In Alvord Unified, we’re not simply monitoring attendance–we’re operationalizing our strategic targets to create a neighborhood the place each pupil is aware of they matter, day by day. By specializing in significant engagement that drives improved pupil outcomes, we’re remodeling how we method training. Our journey exhibits that once we align our each day practices with our broader imaginative and prescient, we are able to create a faculty setting the place attendance isn’t only a quantity, however a mirrored image of a thriving, related neighborhood.
As we proceed to refine our method, we’re not solely assembly our attendance targets but in addition setting the stage for long-term pupil success.
