Attendance Matters Elmhurst Elementary
Wendy Dolan, School Counselor
Franklin Pierce School District
Unincorporated Tacoma, Pierce County
Approximately 7,500 Students
3 High Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 8 Elementary
68% Free and Reduced Lunch
Elmhurst Elementary
• Approximately 450 students
• Grades K-5
• 73% Free and Reduced Lunch
• 18% Special Education
• High Transition
Why Attendance?
• Poor Attendance = Poor Academics
• District Directed
• Graduation Rates
• It’s the Law
Research • There is a well documented link between
attendance and student achievement.
• Attendance is the first step in drop out prevention.
• Poverty has been correlated with high absenteeism
• NCCP (2008) found that chronic absences (10 or more in a school year) were highest in kindergarten and declined in through 3rd grade.
• Low income families are more likely to be affected by health issues.
Why are they absent?
• Lack of Information
• Kindergarten
• Family Values, Culture & Priorities
• Mental Health
• Medical issues
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Homeless/Transitient
Response to Intervention (RTI)
Tier III
~5%
24+ Absences
Tier II
~15%
8-23 absences
Tier I
Universal Level
~80% of all students should be attending 96% of the time
(<7 days)
Where we started….2009-2010 SY
9%
32%
59%
PBIS Team • Tier 1
• Reviews data • Members
• Assists with school-wide
interventions
• Disseminates information
Attendance Team
• Tier 2 & 3 • Attendance Groups
• Counselor, Psychologist,
Attendance Clerk
• Meets Weekly
• Data, Letters, Tracking
Tier 1 Interventions • Teaching Attendance
• Positive school climate (PBIS)
• Communicate goals
• Celebrations/Recognition
• Daily Perfect Attendace Announcements
• Newsletter
• Letters
Tier 2 Interventions
Teacher phone calls
Letters
Attendance Group
Student progress monitoring
Tier 3 Interventions
• Barrier Interviews
• Alarm Clocks
• Conference with principal & counselor
• Contract
• Homevisits
• Becca
• CPS
• 504 Plan
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012
Present 86% orless(24+ absences)
Present95%-87%(8-23 absences)
Present 96%(0-7 absences)
32%
65%
32%
3%
73%
25%
2%
59%
9%
Elmhurst Elementary Attendance
Number of Days Absent
5764
4654.5 3728.5
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012
Attendance Group 2010-2011
20 + absence (09-10)
29 kids
2009-2010
31 absences
2010-2011
15 absences
Attendance Group 2011-2012
14 + absence (10-11)
47 kids
2010-2011
21 absences
2011-2012
9 absences
Limitations &
What’s Next?
Resources
http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/docs/PAG
E/CA_LAUSD/LAUSDNET/OFFICES/RES
PONSE_INTERVENTION_HOME/RTI_RE
SOURCES/PUPIL%20SERVICES,%20MY
DATA,%20AND%20RTI.PDF