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