Student Attendance and the Role of the Attendance Supervisor*
Solano County Office of EducationJune 14th, 2018
* Partially adapted from Mike Lombardo’s Ed Code 48240-48246 Placer COE
And Dennis Wiechman Student Attendance from a Multi-Tiered Perspective Sanger USD
Objectives of Today’s Presentation
Collaborative Training
• Ensure understanding of Supervisor of Attendance Education Code and its duties
• Provide strategies and tools to effectively carry out the responsibilities of the position.
• Clarify/answer any questions regarding chronic absenteeism, truancy, SARB, etc.
Start with the WHY
Chronic Absenteeism Rate
Attendance at the Forefront: Every Student, Every Day
• Attorney General and Secretary of Education Dear Colleague Letter (2015)
• Recommended Action Steps:1. Generate and act on absenteeism data
2. Create and deploy positive messages and measures
3. Focus communities on addressing chronic absenteeism
4. Ensure responsibility across sectors
Attendance at the Forefront: LCAP
•State Priority 5: Student Engagement•Chronic Absenteeism•High School Graduation•Dropout
•State Priority 6: School Climate•Student Suspension•Student Expulsion
Race/EthnicityCumulative Enrollment
Chronic Absenteeism CountChronic Absenteeism
Rate
African American 369,453 69,556 18.80%
American Indian or Alaska Native
34,005 7,124 20.90%
Asian 573,637 20,606 3.60%
Filipino 156,496 7,817 5.00%
Hispanic or Latino 3,462,159 407,181 11.80%
Pacific Islander 30,574 4,724 15.50%
White 1,505,255 145,981 9.70%
Two or More Races 213,730 22,085 10.30%
Not Reported 60,187 8,956 14.90%
Statewide Total 6,405,496 694,030 10.80%
Table 1: 2016-17 California Chronic Absenteeism Counts & Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Program Populations
Cumulative Enrollment
Chronic Absenteeism Count
Chronic Absenteeism Rate
English Learners 1,403,879 147,341 10.5%
Foster Youth 55,288 13,879 25.1%
Homeless Youth 252,525 53,630 21.2%
Migrant Education 58,253 5,298 9.1%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
3,915,714 529,250 13.5%
Students with Disabilities
771,024 136,566 17.7%
Statewide Total 6,405,496 694,030 10.8%
Table 2: 2016-17 California Chronic Absenteeism Counts & Rates by Program or Student Group
Attorney General Report In School & On Track: 2016
• The California Attorney General’s Office has analyzed the extent and impact of elementary chronic absence and truancy since 2013. The most recent 2016 report shows that chronic absence affects 12% of California students, with disproportionately high rates of absenteeism and suspensions for youth of color, as well as low-income, homeless, foster and special education students.
What is our Current Reality?
Solano County Demographics
▪ 66,481 Enrollment in 2017-18
▪ 38.5% Hispanic or Latino
▪ 25.1% White
▪ 14.3% African-American
▪ 8.7% Filipino
▪ 7.1% Two or More Races
▪ 3.8% Asian
▪ Unduplicated Pupil Count of Free/Reduced Price Meals, English Learners, and Foster Youth 33,521
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
Truancy Rates
State Solano
10.8
14.7
19.2
11.610.4
12.8
19.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
StateAverage
SolanoAverage
Gr K Gr 1-3 Gr 4-6 Gr 7-8 Gr 9-12
Solano County Chronic
Absenteeism Rate
14.7
7.5
23.5
8.6
15.6
20.322.5
12.610.9
0
5
10
15
20
25
Solano County Absenteeism Rate by Ethnicity
Impacted AcademicsOn Track 2016
What is your School or District’s Chronic Absenteeism Rate and Cohort Graduation Rate
EthnicityCumulativeEnrollment
TotalSuspensions
UnduplicatedCount ofStudents
Suspended
SuspensionRate
Percent of Students
Suspended with One Suspension
Percent of Students
Suspended with Multiple
Suspensions
African American 10,199 2,988 1,507 14.8% 56.0% 44.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native
355 32 19 5.4% 63.2% 36.8%
Asian 2,442 58 44 1.8% 84.1% 15.9%
Filipino 5,659 227 157 2.8% 78.3% 21.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25,227 2,536 1,441 5.7% 65.2% 34.8%
Pacific Islander 808 95 48 5.9% 58.3% 41.7%
White 16,952 1,281 738 4.4% 66.1% 33.9%
Two or More Races
4,503 434 230 5.1% 66.1% 33.9%
Not Reported 791 76 43 5.4% 67.4% 32.6%
Solano County 66,936 7,727 4,227 6.3% 62.7% 37.3%
Statewide 6,405,496 381,845 233,478 3.6% 69.3% 30.7%
Suspension Rates
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
40.00%
Percentage Total Enrollment and Percentage of Students Suspended
Cumulative Enrollment Percentage of Students Suspended
Average Daily Attendance
Average CalculationsYour Free Math LessonWhat is the Average?
100
50
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
High School 2800 Elementary 300
Percentage ADA
Weighted AverageMust Account for Each Student
•Weighted Average = (%*n)+(%*n)/N
•Weighted Average =(100*2800)+(50*300)/3200
•Weighted Average 92.19%
What Is Your District’s ADA?
• District Enrollment and ADA available at Ed Data https://www.ed-data.org/state/CA
• What percentage of your enrollment?
Cohort Graduation Rate
Cohort Graduation Rate
• The School Dashboard only reports for Districts and Schools.
• What is your District’s Cohort Graduation rate? https://www.caschooldashboard.org/#/Home
• Do you find substantial gaps between groups of students?
• Compare to the gaps found for Chronic Absenteeism?
California Education Code48240. The governing board of each school district and each county superintendent of schools shall appoint a supervisor of attendance
1976 Original: “… specific duties related to compulsory full-time education, truancy, work permits, compulsory continuation education, and opportunity schools, classes, and programs”
Amended by AB 2815 (2017) and AB 1516 (2018)
“… (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that in performing his or her duties, the supervisor of attendance promote a culture of attendance and establish a system to accurately track pupil attendance”
• Raise awareness about attendance
• Identify and respond to patterns of chronic absenteeism or truancy
• Address contributing factors including suspension and expulsion
• Early identification of students for services and interventions
• Evaluate effectiveness of strategies
Additional Services• 48240 (c) The Supervisor of Attendance may provide support services and
interventions, which may include, but are not limited to:
• Conference
• Co-curricular/extra-curricular activities (school connectedness)
• Recognizing excellent or improved attendance
• Referrals for school case management
• Collaboration: CWS, law enforcement, public health, mental health, etc.
• Collaboration: SSTs, SARBs, etc.
• For high chronic absenteeism identify school-wide deficiencies
• Referral for comprehensive psychosocial/psychoeducational assessment
Attendance Supervisor Systemic Reference
• Promote a culture of attendance/system to track attendance
• Provide support services/interventions
• Analyze effectiveness and make necessary changes
• Consistent with a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support model
Supervisor of Attendance: Three Foundational Areas
• 48240 (b): Culture of Attendance
• 48240 (b): System to Track Attendance
• 48240 (c): Interventions
Essential Definitions
Truant Habitual Truant Chronic Absent
EC Section 48260(a) Absent
from school without a valid
excuse three full days in one
school year or tardy for more
than a 30 minute period during
the school day without a valid
excuse on three occasions in
one school year
EC Section 48262: Any pupil is
deemed an habitual truant who
has been reported as a truant
three or more times per school
year (conscientious effort to
hold at least one conference
with a parent or guardian of the
pupil and the pupil himself)
EC Section 48263.6
Absent from school more than 10% of the school year from the
date of enrollment
Foundational Component 1: Promoting a Culture of Attendance
• Raise the awareness of school personnel, parents, guardians, caregivers, community partners, and local businesses of the effects of chronic absenteeism and truancy and other challenges associated with poor attendance.
• How do you do this in your district?
Supervisor of Attendance
Foundational Components Ideal Goals
Culture of Attendance Multiple methods regularly used to communicate the importance of attendance and the dangers of poor attendance and to encourage good attendance
Foundational Component 2: Tracking Attendance
• How do you track attendance?
• How do you use this system to address chronic absenteeism?
• Is the system effective?
• What are the elements of an effective system?
Attendance Tracking Should Be Used To:
• Raise the awareness of the effects of chronic absenteeism• Communicate to all stakeholder that attendance is a big deal
• Identify and respond to patterns of chronic absenteeism• Carefully and frequently analyze data to develop goals and objectives
• Identify and address factors contributing to chronic absenteeism and habitual truancy, including suspension and expulsion• Develop a comprehensive understanding of contributing factors to
address them systematically
Attendance Tracking Should Be Used To: (Cont.)
• Ensure early identification.• Address patterns before they become well established
• Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies implemented• Review outcomes and adjust interventions accordingly
Data Analysis
• For early identification of:• Struggling students
• Sub-groups (grade levels, geographic areas, etc.)
• Contributing factors
• interventions/referrals
• suspensions/expulsions
• “to ensure pupils with attendance problems are identified as early as possible to provide applicable support services and interventions.”
• “to evaluate effectiveness of current strategies.”
Attendance Tracking System
COMMON UNDERSTANDING
• Excused vs. Unexcused
• Tardy vs. Late
• Truant (30 min unexcused) vs. habitual truant (3 truancies) vs. chronic truant (10% missed school due to truancies)
• Chronic absence (10% missed school for any reason, incl. suspensions)
CDE Year-End Report
Consistency
• Are the excusal reasons applied consistently? EC 48205
• How do you know?
Truancy Intervention Matrix
CDE SARB Handbookhttps://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ai/sb/sarbhandbook.asp
Unexcused Absence: Parents will be notified in a timely mannerif their child is absent from school without permission. Education Code 51101(a)(4).
Truancy: Upon a pupil’s initial classification as a truant, you will be notified of the following: (a) That the pupil is truant. (b) That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil(c) That you may be guilty of a criminal infraction if you fail to meet this obligation. (d) That alternative educational programs are available in the district. (e) That you have the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil’s truancy. (f) That the pupil may be subject to arrest and prosecution. (g) That the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the pupil’s driving privilege. (h) That it may be recommended that you accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day. Education Code 48260.5
Chronic Truancy: The parent or guardian of any pupil in grades 1 through 8 who is found to be a “chronic truant” may be found guilty of a misdemeanor. Education Code 48263.6; Penal Code 270.1.
Parents’ Responsibilities
Site Level
• How is attendance and chronic absenteeism addressed at the site level?
Activity: Complete with your team
What do we do with our data? District Site
Who
What
When
Supervisor of Attendance
Foundational Components Ideal Goals
System to Track Attendance All sites and staff have common understanding of attendance terms, codes, thresholds, practices, consequences, interventions and are entering attendance data consistently; attendance reports are generated and analyzed regularly by district and site teams.
Foundational Component 3: Interventions
• What are some common causes of poor attendance?
Some Root Causes
• Student/Parent Mental Health Issues• Homelessness• Caring for Family Members• Lack of Parental Assertiveness• Substance Abuse/Neglect• Bullying• Co-parenting Issues• Academic Failure
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
(ACES)
POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF HIGH ACES
SCORES
16.4
15.6
0 5 10 15 20
California
Solano County
Children with Two or More Adverse Experiences (Parent Reported)
Increased Attendance Involves a 3-Tiered Approach
Students chronically absent/habitually truant
5-15% of a school’s students
Students at risk for poor attendance or students with rising attendance rates
15-20% of a school’s students
All students 65-100% of a school’s students
Source: Attendance Works
Activity-- Table Talk
• What interventions do you most commonly use
to address attendance/truancy issues?
• When (Tier II, Tier III)?
• What factors do you take into account?
• Which interventions are most successful?
• 5-10 Min: Share Out
Attendance Supervisor’s Potential Services/Interventions:
• 48240 (c) The Supervisor of Attendance may provide support services and interventions, which may include, but are not limited to:
• Conference
• Co-curricular/extra-curricular activities (school connectedness)
• Recognizing excellent or improved attendance
• Referrals for school case management
• Collaboration: CWS, law enforcement, public health, mental health, etc.
• Collaboration: SSTs, SARBs, etc.
• For high chronic absenteeism identify school-wide deficiencies
• Referral for comprehensive psychosocial/psychoeducational assessment
MTSS Attendance Recommendations
MTSS and Attendance
School Attendance Review Boards
• Local SARBs Processes: Strengths and Challenges
• State SARB: Public meeting agendas at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ai/sb/documents/statesarbagenda201806.asp. Next meeting June 22, 9:30-3:00
• Additional strategies: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ai/cw/attendstrategy.asp
• Model SARB recognition process
• 16 SARBS recognized in 2017-18
Model SARB Application:
• Goals, objectives, and outcomes
• Prevention, early identification, and interventions
• SARB members’ collaboration and qualification
• Inventory of community resources
• Leadership strategies
• Program design and organizational structure
• Meeting dynamics
Supervisor of Attendance
Foundational Components Ideal Goals
Interventions District and sites have a host of interventions to choose from, depending on specific barrier to attendance. Emphasis on relationship and connection with both student and family.
Supervisor of Attendance
Foundational Components
In Place Initiated/Partially in Place
Not in Place Action Step(s)
Culture of Attendance
System to Track Attendance
Interventions
Conclusions
• Comments
• Identified goals
• Future conversations
• Collective impact areas
• Thank you for participating in the collaborative training. Your names will be submitted to the County Board of Education for approval as Supervisors of Attendance for your District.