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In my function as Assistant Director of Scholar Providers, I’ve discovered that essentially the most essential think about enhancing pupil attendance isn’t about insurance policies or procedures–it’s about connections. Our district serves a various group 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 discovered 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 sturdy school-home connections, we’re not solely enhancing attendance charges, but additionally driving improved pupil outcomes throughout the board. Our method demonstrates that after we align our each day operations with our broader strategic imaginative and prescient, we will create a college setting the place each pupil is empowered to succeed.
Earlier than the pandemic, our district maintained a decent 95 p.c attendance charge, with power absenteeism hovering between 12 p.c and 14 p.c–on par with surrounding districts and nationwide averages. Nonetheless, 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 grew to become clear that we wanted a brand new technique. For years, our Native Management and Accountability Plan (LCAP) had included provisions for an attendance administration program, however implementation had all the time been pushed to the again burner. The post-COVID panorama, with its distinctive challenges and shifting priorities, supplied the proper alternative to revisit this want.
In the course of the top of the pandemic, our college websites had been overwhelmed. They had been juggling COVID case monitoring, managing intervals of publicity, and attempting to keep up some semblance of regular operations. It was throughout a dialog about lowering the burden of attendance letter mailings that I noticed our probability. If we might automate these processes, we might release our employees 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 grow to be an integral a part of our attendance technique. It handles rather more than simply systematic notifications. The system automates our attendance monitoring, producing real-time experiences that enable us to establish tendencies and at-risk college students rapidly. It manages our compliance necessities, guaranteeing we ship out legally mandated notifications, just like the essential first discover that outlines dad and mom’ tasks beneath 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 will now prioritize our outreach efforts. By offering clear, actionable information, employees can focus their power on the scholars and households who want essentially the most help. 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 know the limitations households face and provide actual options. Whether or not it’s offering details about reasonably priced public transportation, providing bus passes, and even serving to with gasoline playing cards, we’re dedicated to breaking down any impediment that stands between a pupil and their schooling.
I all the time inform our group: “It doesn’t matter what number of applications we provide in case your baby isn’t coming to highschool. I can have social staff, group staff, and/or counselors–and serve steak and lobster every single day–but it surely doesn’t matter in case your child doesn’t come within the door. We are able to’t help you as a pupil or as a household when you’re not right here.”
The effectivity gained by having a complete attendance administration answer has allowed us to shift our focus from managing paperwork to managing relationships. Our employees can now spend their time having these essential conversations with households, understanding their distinctive conditions, and dealing collectively to search out options that work for everybody.
To additional strengthen our group ties, we’ve instituted “Group Connection Days.” On today, our total Academic Providers group–about 20 folks–steps out of the workplace and into the group. We knock on doorways, not as disciplinarians, however as involved educators seeking to assist. It’s about displaying households that your complete district, from the classroom to the executive workplace, cares about their baby’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 faculty 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. If you’re speaking a couple of district with about 16,000 college students, that improve 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 bold 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 massive; we’re placing within the work to make it occur:
- We’ve secured a $9.5 million Group Faculties Grant, permitting us to rent six group 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 further help.
- We’re investing in Constructive Behavioral Interventions and Helps (PBIS) at each elementary and secondary ranges.
- We’re increasing our Saturday College applications, which not solely present further studying alternatives but additionally 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 college group. 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 guarantee that care is felt by each the scholars and their households.
If there’s one piece of recommendation I can provide to different districts seeking to enhance attendance, it’s this: Get to know your group. 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 mother or father or pupil can inform that you simply 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 group the place each pupil is aware of they matter, every single day. By specializing in significant engagement that drives improved pupil outcomes, we’re remodeling how we method schooling. Our journey reveals that after we align our each day practices with our broader imaginative and prescient, we will create a college setting the place attendance isn’t only a quantity, however a mirrored image of a thriving, related group.
As we proceed to refine our method, we’re not solely assembly our attendance targets but additionally setting the stage for long-term pupil success.
