Attendance Improvement Pilot Program (K/9)

Mission
The Attendance Improvement Program will support schools in achieving attendance improvement targets in kindergarten and ninth grade.  Increasing student attendance is a top priority and a critical factor to improve academic achievement.  We are committed to engaging parents, students, school staff, and community members toward a common vision of graduation for all students.

Purpose
The Attendance Improvement program provides focused support for students in Kindergarten and Grade 9 at select elementary and senior high schools throughout the district.  Using the 2010-11 year end attendance data, all schools in Local Districts 1-8 were ranked by rates of Proficient/Advanced (96% or higher) Attendance in Kindergarten or Grade 9.  Attendance Improvement Counselors (AIC) were assigned to 25 senior high schools and 52 elementary schools with the lowest rates, those most in-need of attendance improvement at the targeted grade level.

Goals
By the end of the 2011-12 school year, all pilot program schools will:
• Have a comprehensive, viable Attendance and Dropout Prevention team and plan that is fully implemented and responsive to current attendance trends
• Demonstrate increased staff, student, and parent awareness of attendance expectations and Performance Meter goals
• Demonstrate an increased use of prevention and intervention programs to improve student attendance school-wide (incentive programs, community partnerships, parent support)
• Have at least a 5% increase in the percentage of students attending at 96% or better in the targeted grade level  

School Selection
Secondary and elementary schools with the lowest rates of 96% or better (proficient/advanced) student attendance in the targeted grade level (K or 9) were assigned 1 day of Counselor support time for every 50 students enrolled in the targeted grade level during 2010-11 as follows: 

For additional program information and a list of our schools, click here.

Attendance Improvement Program - Tools and Resources

For a sample of our program's monthly school attendance data profile, click here.

For our program's Attendance Improvement Implementation Plan template, click here.

For our program's monthly Summary of Services form, click here.

For an example of how we analyze attendance achievement throughout the school year, click here.

Celebrating the 100th Day of School

Do you know when your 100th day of school is this year?  For a list of dates by school type, click here.

For suggested activities to support your 100th day of School Celebration, click here.

Attendance Improvement Program Strategies for February

For suggestions and resources to support attendance improvement in February, click here.

Last modified February 8, 2012