Attendance Improvement and Monitoring (AIM)

Kerry DuncanPrincipal Intern

http://www1.gcsnc.com/pdfs/studenthandbook.pdf

Guilford County Schools - Attendance Policy Attendance – Students shall follow State and local attendance guidelines and attend classes in a timely and regular fashion.

a). Skipping (Not coming to school) school in whole or in part -- Students shall come to school and be present in their designated homeroom and/or their assigned classroom unless they have been authorized to be absent by the principal or his/her designee or they have an absence that is excused pursuant to State guidelines and Board policy for attendance.

http://www1.gcsnc.com/pdfs/studenthandbook.pdf

Guilford County Schools - Attendance Policy Attendance – Students shall follow State and local attendance guidelines and attend classes in a timely and regular fashion.

b). Skipping (leaving school once present) school in whole or in part – Students shall come to school, remain at school once they have arrived and be present in their designated homeroom and/or their assigned classroom unless they have been authorized to do otherwise by the principal or his/her designee.

Duties of the Teacher

Who are Reporters?

• Reporters are any staff members in the school building. Reporters are important because they are the very first line of contact the student will have. If we are not noticing their attendance then it will go undetected until they are out of status.

Attendance Framework

• Students who regularly attends school/class are promoting student success.

• Teachers can lend effective support to students ONLY when they are present in class regularly.

Advantages of Project

• Improve attendance across all grades

• Improve relationships with students

• School will keep all staff positions because of attendance

Attendance Data – Fall 2015

9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade90.00%

91.00%

92.00%

93.00%

94.00%

95.00%

94.26% 94.56%

93.15%92.01%

Eastern Guilford High - 90 day Attendance

08/24/2015 - 01/22/2016

Attendance Data – Fall 2015

9th Grade10th Grade

11th Grade12th Grade

86.00%

88.00%

90.00%

92.00%

94.00% 92.91% 93.40% 93.95%

89.01%

92.64% 93.41%93.38%

90.16%

Eastern Guilford High - 90 day Attendance

2013-2014 2014-2015

Other Data

There is a direct link between attendance and student’s achievement. According to Roby (2004), there are several factors outside of socioeconomic issues that can negatively affect students attendance. It is important that teachers and staff are aware of these factors and the reason behind absences to efficiently reduce absenteeism.

Factors that affect attendance

• Socioeconomic

• Sickness

• Medical appointments

• Suspension

• Tardiness

Strategies that can improve regular attendance

• Target each student’s need

• Involving parents in several ways

• Attendance contract

• Attendance support - Counselors/Administrators/Teachers

• Excused absences - Bring notes in for various absences

Strategies that can improve regular attendance• Refer student to social worker

• Building relationships

• Recognize students who are present with recognitions/

certificates/incentives• Re-engage students when they come back

What to do immediately after a student is absent?

• Check at the end of the class if the student is still absent.

• Write the name and parent contact information on the weekly report table

• Call parents and find out the reason(s); when students have gotten to 3 days absent

• Enquire from the students why they were absent and encourage them to be present each day

Who do we involve?

• Teachers: Must take correct attendance

• Parents: Must be aware of absences

• Social Worker: For more sever cases

• SRO: For suspected Truancy/Skipping of school

Chronic Absenteeism or Truancy

Truancy is being absent without

parental consent

Chronic Absenteeism are students who

continuously remain out of school without a

valid reason.

Truancy and Chronic absenteeism are

sometimes overlapped and frequently

misunderstood.

Place Absence in a weekly report

• For each student that has missed more than 3 days, please place this student’s name on the form and I will make the first contact with parent/guardian encouraging that student to make up the time in the media center on WED/THURS.

Summary

• It is hard to keep up with students, but we can make a difference by firstly taking correct attendance.

• Please contact parents so they are in the loop before the end of the 9 weeks or weekly when they become “out-of status”.

References

Roby, D. E. (2004). Research on school attendance and student achievement: A study of ohio schools. Educational Research Quarterly, 28(1), 3-14. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/216183172?accountid=12085http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/participation/Pages/understandingattendance.aspx