Attendance
Attendance
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According to SDP’s September 2017 report How Much Does 9th Grade Attendance Matter?, the relationship between 9th grade attendance and graduation rate is dramatic and clear. The better a student’s attendance in 9th grade, the higher the probability that they will graduate on time.
In fact, the study found that there is no attendance “cliff” – no matter what a student’s attendance rate is, a few more absences is associated with a meaningful drop in graduation rate.
The good news is: it is never too late! Even if a student misses a lot of school early in the year, strong attendance during the second half of the school year improves their chances of graduating on time dramatically. New attendance interventions can be implemented year-round and still have an important impact.
Featured Attendance Interventions
Featured Attendance Interventions
What?
How?
When?
Who?
Regular Attendance Connections
Staff can provide regular morning check-ins for students with attendance issues and recognition when they arrive on time.
Staff may want to also assign students “attendance buddies” that check in on them and provide accountability.
Some schools have tried having students meet with a "Success Mentor" 2-3 times weekly who encourages daily attendance and helps secure supports.
As-needed
✔Leaders
✔Teachers
✔Counselors
Attainable Attendance Improvement Plans
Some teams ask students to hand-write a plan to meet a specific attendance goal. Goals should be individualized, attainable, and include action steps.
Teachers have tried talking with the student to assess and address the underlying cause for a student’s continued absences. Students who aren’t coming to school because of bullying need a different solution than students who are taking care of younger siblings at home, for example.
Staff may want to work with students to set a specific attendance goal and include gradual, specific improvement: “Can you reduce your 4 absences per month to 2 by December 1st?”
As-needed
✔Leaders
✔Teachers
✔Counselors
Informed Parents and Guardians
Leaders can reinforce attendance importance by integrating information about chronic absence into parent programs and communications throughout the year.
Some schools conduct monthly robocalls home reminding parents of 100% attendance goal and importance of attending school.
Some schools have tried mailing home Check & Reflect reports bi-weekly (Frankford).
Educators may also want to call home when a student is absent.
Start of School
✔Leaders
✔Teachers
✔Counselors
School Spotlight:
Frankford
Extra-curricular & Enrichment Opportunities
Schools can offer programs before and after school to engage students and get them in the building.
Educators can help students get involved in extracurriculars– activity fair, or fliers with contact information for all clubs/sports.
Schools can also provide enrichment activities for students, such as field trips, assemblies, and dances.
Start of School
✔Leaders
✔Teachers
✔Counselors
Back to Interventions by Topic
Explore Further
Explore Further
The table below includes additional foundational content to learn more as your progress in your 9GOT practices.
Emerging is good for staff that are new to the 9th Grade On-Track work, and/or schools that are just starting to implement the 9th Grade On-Track tools and initiatives. Progressing is good for staff/schools who have basic knowledge of the materials and have implemented core components of the model but want to further the implementation. Accelerating is for schools that have successfully implemented many of the 9th Grade On-Track tools and initiatives and are looking for ways to advance the work even further.
Resource Link
Description
Level
Template for a goal setting discussion around attendance, developed by PAI.
Emerging
Google Sites
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