Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 2
Background
Introduction
Student attendance is an important measure of student engagement and a correlate to academic
achievement and graduation. A growing body of academic research supports the vital importance of
regular attendance, and the prevention of chronic absence, particularly in early grades
1
. In the
LAUSD, chronic absence is defined as having an attendance rate of 91% or less, or missing three or
more weeks during an academic year, regardless of the reasons for absence (excused or unexcused).
Students who are chronically absent in early grades are far more likely to fall behind on critical
reading and math skills, be chronically absent in later grades, and eventually drop out of high school.
2
Student absenteeism results in the loss of critical instructional time and significant reductions in
Average Daily Attendance Revenue (ADA), the main source of state funding for schools.
In 2011, LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy released his Performance Meter, which outlines core
beliefs, goals and targets for improvement in key areas, including increasing the percentage of
students with 96% or higher attendance (considered Proficient/Advanced Attendance).
The Pupil Services Unit of the LAUSD tracks and reports student attendance trends based on five
student attendance performance levels as reflected in the table below.
At the end of the 2010-11 school year, a comprehensive review of district-wide attendance trends
showed that Kindergarten and Grade 9 students had significantly lower rates of Proficient/Advanced
Attendance and the highest rates of chronic absence. Only 55% of LAUSD Kindergarten students
achieved 96% or higher attendance and 19% were considered chronically absent. Similarly, only 62%
of LAUSD Grade 9 students achieved 96% or higher attendance, and 20% were chronically absent.
1
Present, Engaged and Accounted for: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in Early Grades (Chang and Romero, September 2008)
The Importance of Being in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation’s Public Schools (Balfanz and Byrnes, May 2012)
2 The Differential Trajectories of High School Dropouts and Graduates (Hickman, Arizona State University, 2008
LESS THAN 87%
(Far Below Basic)
87 - 91%
(Below Basic)
92 - 95%
(Basic)
96 - 99%
(Proficient)
100%
(Advanced)
Chronic Absence
2013-2014 Goal: 76% of students
attending at least 96% of the time
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 3
Attendance Improvement Program: An Effective Model for Absence Prevention
In response to the critical need for attendance improvement in Kindergarten and Grade 9, LAUSD
launched the Attendance Improvement Program (AIP) in September of 2011. The program targets
the schools with the lowest rates of Proficient/Advanced attendance in Kindergarten or Grade 9. An
Attendance Improvement Counselor (Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor) provides focused
support and strategic intervention at elementary schools and senior high schools throughout the
District.
AIP schools have demonstrated significant gains in 96% or higher (Proficient/Advanced) attendance,
outpacing improvements seen district-wide over the last two years. Additionally, AIP schools have
demonstrated significant declines in chronic absence rates (as reflected in the tables below).
Attendance Improvement Program Outcomes
2011-12 School Year
AIP Schools
Chronic Absence
Proficient/Advanced Attendance
Population
2010-11
2011-12
Reduction
2010-11
2011-12
Increase
Kindergarten
31.97%
18.83%
-13.14%
37.10%
57.16%
+20.06%
Grade 9
29.10%
23.83%
-5.27%
49.43%
56.70%
+7.27%
School-wide
2010-11
2011-12
Reduction
2010-11
2011-12
Increase
Elementary
18.61%
13.45%
-5.16%
55.59%
63.30%
+7.71%
Secondary
23.43%
21.15%
2.28%
53.87%
57.00%
+3.13%
2012-13 School Year
AIP Schools
Chronic Absence
Proficient/Advanced Attendance
Population
2011-12
2012-13
Reduction
2011-12
2012-13
Increase
Kindergarten
22.71%
16.59%
-6.12%
46.58%
63.29%
+16.72%
Grade 9
39.94%
24.80%
-15.14%
45.69%
57.61%
+11.92%
School-wide
2011-12
2012-13
Reduction
2011-12
2012-13
Increase
Elementary
13.68%
13.41%
-0.27%
62.29%
67.43%
+5.14%
Secondary
29.19%
21.75%
-7.44%
49.69%
58.83%
+9.14%
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide schools with information and tools to support assessment,
planning, and implementation of effective strategies and activities to support attendance
improvement.
Tools and materials contained in this toolkit were developed by the Pupil Services and Attendance
(PSA) Counselors who serve in the Attendance Improvement Program.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 4
Attendance Improvement Program Toolkit
for Kindergarten and Grade 9
-Table of Contents-
I. Master Planning Calendar with Instructional Days for 2013-14
II. Data Evaluation, Planning and Tracking Tools
a. Attendance Bands and Absence Tracking
b. Attendance Trend Assessment Worksheet and Guide
c. Attendance Trend Monthly Tracking Worksheet and Guide
d. Attendance Reports
e. MyData Quick Reference
III. School and Community Assessment Tools
a. Assessment Resources
b. School Resource Guide
c. Community Resource Guide
IV. Letters and Memos
a. Introduction / Policy Letter
b. Attendance Notification Letter
c. Excessive Absence Letter
d. Extended Vacation Letter
e. Monthly Data Memo
f. Newsletter Template
V. Incentive Ideas
a. Elementary
b. Secondary
VI. Frequently Used Terms
Please note that throughout this toolkit, text and terms in blue are hyperlinked to additional
information (click on blue text to be taken to additional information and resources).
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 5
Data Evaluation,
Planning,
and
Tracking Tools
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 7
-Instructional Days Calendar-
To maintain Proficient/Advanced Attendance, students may miss no more than 1 day for every 25 days
enrolled.
The tables below outline the number of absences students will have within the five attendance bands at
various points throughout the 2013-14 school year*.
Absences within the attendance bands at the end of each calendar month
Absence Counts/Attendance Achievement Bands at the End of Each Month
2013-14
FBB
BB
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
August
2 or more
1
1
0
0
September
5 or more
4
2
1
0
October
8 or more
5-7
3-4
1-2
0
November
10 or more
6-9
3-5
1-2
0
December
12 or more
7-11
4-6
1-3
0
January
13 or more
8-12
4-7
1-3
0
February
16 or more
10-15
5-9
1-4
0
March
18 or more
11-17
6-10
1-5
0
April
21 or more
13-20
7-12
1-6
0
May
23 or more
15-22
8-14
1-7
0
June
24 or more
15-23
8-14
1-7
0
Absences within each of the attendance bands at each 25
th
instructional day
Attendance Achievement by Instructional Day
Means having NO MORE THAN 1 absence per 25 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION
Instructional Day
Date
FBB
BB
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
25
September 19
4 or more
3
2
1
0
50
October 24
7 or more
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
75
December 6
10 or more
7-9
4-6
1-3
0
100
February 3
14 or more
9-13
5-8
1-4
0
125
March 11
17 or more
11-16
6-10
1-5
0
150
April 23
20 or more
13-19
7-12
1-6
0
175
May 29
23 or more
15-22
8-14
1-7
0
180
June 5
24 or more
15-23
8-14
1-7
0
*Please note that these breakdowns apply to students who have been enrolled continuously since the first
day of school. Students who enroll late will have fewer days of instruction, and must therefore miss fewer
days of school to maintain a 96% attendance rate.
Click here to access your At-Risk Attendance report in MyData.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 8
-Attendance Trend Assessment Worksheet-
Purpose: To examine two years of attendance achievement and trends in order to assist with planning for the coming school year.
Proficient/Advanced Attendance (96% or higher) and Enrollment
2011-12
2012-13
Grade Level
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number
Enrolled
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number
Enrolled
School-wide
School-wide Monthly Attendance Rates and Revenue Loss
2011-12
2012-13
Month
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Cumulative
Date reviewed in MyData:
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 9
-Attendance Trend Assessment Worksheet GUIDE-
Purpose: To assist in locating the data (in MyData system) to complete the Attendance Trend Assessment Worksheet.
Proficient/Advanced Attendance (96% or higher) and Enrollment
2011-12
2012-13
Grade Level
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number
Enrolled
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number
Enrolled
School-wide
School-wide Monthly Attendance Rates and Revenue Loss
2011-12
2012-13
Month
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Cumulative
From the Attendance Report section in MyData
Tab: Location Comparisons
Summarize By: Preferred Location Name
Display As: # and % of Students
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
Extract the information for each grade and school-wide
From the Attendance Report section in MyData
Attendance Rate
Tab: Month-Month Comparison
Display As: Monthly
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
*Extract the information for each school year
Revenue Loss
Tab: Revenue Lost
Summarize By: Month
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
*Information for two years is displayed at the bottom
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 10
-Monthly Attendance Trend Tracking Worksheet-
Purpose: To track attendance achievement, monthly trends and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and interventions.
Month: ________________
Proficient/Advanced Attendance (96% or higher) and Enrollment
2013-14
Grade Level
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number Enrolled
School-wide
School-wide Monthly Attendance Rates and Revenue Loss
2013-14
Month
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Cumulative
Date reviewed in MyData:
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 11
-Monthly Attendance Trend Tracking Worksheet GUIDE-
Purpose: To assist in locating the data (in MyData system) to complete the Attendance Trend Tracking Worksheet.
Month: ________________
Proficient/Advanced Attendance (96% or higher) and Enrollment
2013-14
Grade Level
Percent of Students
at/above 96%
Number Enrolled
School-wide
School-wide Monthly Attendance Rates and Revenue Loss
2013-14
Month
Attendance Rate
Revenue Loss
Cumulative
Tab: Location Comparisons
Summarize By: Preferred Location Name
Display As: # and % of Students
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
Extract the information for each grade and
school-wide
Attendance Rate
Tab: Month-Month Comparison
Display As: Monthly
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
*Refer to data extract dates
Revenue Loss
Tab: Revenue Lost
Summarize By: Month
Filters: Preferred location, school year, and grade
*Data Extract Dates
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 12
Recommended Sources for Accessing
Attendance Data
Individual Student Recognition
Activity
Recommended
Timeframe/Schedule
Reports
Perfect Attendance Monthly
End of each calendar month
ISIS Att Incentive Report
ISIS Att Referral Report
(converted to Excel)
SIS AT46- secondary
Notification/Recognition/
Warning Letters
After 25
th
day milestones
ISIS Att Summary Report
ISIS Att Referral Report
(converted to Excel)
SIS AT46- secondary
Proficient/Advanced Attendance
After 25
th
day milestones
ISIS Att Summary Report
ISIS Att Referral Report
(converted to Excel)
SIS AT46- secondary
Classroom Attendance
Activity
Timeframe
Reports
Monthly Attendance Rates
End of each calendar month
ISIS Att Summary Report
Daily Absence Tracking
Beginning/end of each week
Period Attendance for an Educator
Goal monitoring
Activity
Timeframe
Reports
Reviewing Number and Percent
of students in each Attendance
Performance band
monthly
MyData At-Risk Attendance (Detailed)
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 13
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATES
ISIS Report: Attendance Referral Form
ISIS Report: Attendance Summary
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 14
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATES Continued
Attendance Referral Report
This report will generate one page of attendance information for each student who exceeds a user defined
minimum number of full day absences for the current school year.
Output Format: HTML (covert to Excel using the magic button)
Benefits: can select currently enrolled students only
Notes:
Has to be cleaned up in Excel; Attendance Percentage rounds up
Should add a column to calculate the real attendance rates (days attended divided by days enrolled)
Must remove duplicates from the report
Attendance Summary Report
This report is used to identify students with perfect attendance and/or those who exceed a user defined
minimum number of full day absences within a selected date range. The report lists absences (excused,
unexcused, uncleared, non-compliant, suspension, makeup Days), tardies, partial days, total days
Output: PDF or CSV
Benefits: provides a comprehensive student list, sorted by percent attendance
Notes:
Will include students receiving Special Education services under the Special Day Program (SDP)
eligibility and L’d out students (must be cleaned)
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 15
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE RATES BY MONTH (ELEMENTARY ONLY)
ISIS Report: Attendance Summary Report
To find the data to for a monthly classroom attendance percentage, log on to ISIS. Under Reports,
select Attendance-General, then “Attendance Summary” and choose filters.
Go to:
Reports
Attendance
General
Attendance
Summary
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 16
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE RATES BY MONTH (ELEMENTARY ONLY) Continued
The Attendance Summary Report shows the percent present in each classroom on the bottom of the report.
Set Parameters /
Filters here
Make sure to
select “YES” to
sort by room in
order to obtain
Classroom
Attendance
Percentages
NOTES:
You can
change the date
range.
The report
Output can be in
PDF or Excel.
CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE
PERCENTAGE HERE!
Homeroom denotes what
classroom is being reported.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 17
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE PERCENTAGE BY DAY
ISIS Report: Period Attendance for an Educator
To find the data to track daily absences in classrooms, log on to ISIS. Select Attendance, then Period
Attendance for an Educator (or Class) and click on the staff number.
Note that the current day’s attendance information is automatically displayed. You can change the
date to view prior school days using the change date dropdown menu (remember to click GO).
Here is an example:
Formula/Instructions
Example
(Span SP 1B above)
1. Total number of students enrolled in the classroom (possible
attendance)
43
2. Actual Attendance (number of students present plus number tardy)
40 + 1 = 41
Attendance Percentage Calculation = Actual attendance divided by possible attendance
Example Span SP 1B (Period 2; Course S052-1):
Actual Attendance 41
Possible Attendance 43
Click here for an Excel worksheet that will help to calculate and track weekly and monthly attendance
percentages for secondary classrooms.
Note the date
is displayed
here.
1
2
= 93.35%
=
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 18
ISIS Attendance Reports
FOR DAILY ABSENCE COUNTS
ISIS Report: Period Attendance for an Educator
To find the data to track daily absences in classrooms, log on to ISIS. Select Attendance, then Period
Attendance for an Educator (or Class) and click on the staff number.
Note that the current day’s attendance information is automatically displayed. You can change the
date to view prior school days using the change date dropdown menu (remember to click GO).
Here is an example:
Sample table displaying absence counts by day:
Teacher
M
T
W
Th
Fri
Weekly Absence Count
5/6/2013
5/7/2013
5/8/2013
DATE
DATE
Best
1
0
1
0
0
2
Good
2
0
1
0
1
4
Amazing
2
1
0
0
0
3
Fair
3
0
1
1
1
6
Daily Total
8
1
3
1
2
15
Click here for an Excel worksheet where you can track and display Daily Absence Counts for
Classrooms as shown in the table above.
Note the date
is displayed
here.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 19
MyData Quick Reference
All attendance data in the MyData system can be accessed by clicking the “School” located on the
blue menu bar and selecting “Attendance” from the dropdown menu.
Data Inquiry
Application
Data Location
What are your school’s
month-to-month attendance
trends (2 year comparison)?
Compare and explore seasonal
variations in month-to-month
attendance rates for the entire
school. The report provides month
specific rates and a cumulative rate
for the school year.
Tab: Month-to-Month
Comparisons
Display As: Monthly
Attendance
Filters: Preferred location
and school year
Select prior school year
What is your school’s
approximate amount of
revenue lost from absences
in the past 2 school years?
See the dollar impact of student
absences on a month-to-month
basis. Revenue lost is a direct
calculation from lost instructional
days due to absence.
Tab: Revenue Lost
Summarize By: Month
Filters: Preferred location
and school year
Select prior school year
What is the percent and
number of students
achieving /not achieving
proficient/advanced
attendance at your school for
the past two years?
Identify the proportions of students
that fall into each attendance band
within each grade level: Advanced,
Proficient, Basic, Below Basic, and
Far Below Basic.
Tab: Location Comparisons
Summarize By: Preferred
Location Name
Display As: # and % of
Students
Filters: Preferred location
and school year
Extract the information for
two years:
Select each grade level and
school-wide
Click here to be taken to MyData FAQ.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 20
School and Community
Assessment Tools
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 21
School and Community Assessment Resources
School Data and Assessment
MyData
School Information Branch Data Profiles
School Report Card
School Experience Survey
School Performance Framework
Community Data and Assessment
o U.S. Census
o Healthy City
o Zip Skinny
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 22
SCHOOL RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Click here to be taken to this School Resource Directory template in Word.
SCHOOL CONTACTS
TITLE
NAME
TELEPHONE EXTENSION
Principal
Assistant Principal
Assistant Principal
AP, EIS
AP, SCS
AP, SSS
Special Education
School Administrative Assistant (SAA)
Attendance Clerk
Computer Operator
Cafeteria Manager
Plant Manager
SUPPORT STAFF
NAME
SCHEDULED DAYS/EXTENSION
PSA Counselor
DPC Counselor
School Psychologist
Psychiatric Social Worker
School Nurse
Academic Counselor
Academic Counselor
Academic Counselor
Academic Counselor
Dean
Dean
Impact Coordinator
Healthy Start Coordinator
On-Site Counseling Agency
Lead Counseling Agency
Speech Pathologist
Other:
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS
TEAM LEAD
SCHEDULED DAYS
Coordination of Services Team (COST)
Student Success Team (SST)
Student Attendance Review Team (SART)
School Name
School Address
School Phone/Fax
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 23
SCHOOL-BASED RESOURCES
School-Based Resource*
Contact Information
(Name, title, telephone)
Available Services
Special Notes
(Referral process, criteria etc.)
*Can include parent groups/workshops; before/afterschool programs; student clubs; sports teams; student support groups (e.g.
Impact, anger management, grief, etc.), classes for credit recovery, remediation, or skill development; community-based
organizations that are on-site; etc.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 24
Letter and
Memo
Templates
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 25
INTRODUCTION/POLICY LETTER/MEMORANDUM [INSERT LETTERHEAD]
Click here to be taken to this letter template in Word (English and Spanish available).
[INSERT DATE]
Dear _____________________,
Welcome to the new school year! The LAUSD Performance Meter Goal is for 76% of all students to
maintain a Proficient/Advanced attendance rate of 96% or higher throughout the school year. This
means that each student must have:
No more than one absence for every five weeks (25 instructional days) of school
No more than SEVEN TOTAL absences in the school year
Last year, our school achieved the following rates of Proficient/Advanced (96% or higher) Attendance:
<<SCHOOL NAME>>
2013-14 School Year
Grade Level
Above 96%
Number of
Students
School-wide
To meet the LAUSD attendance goal, the following strategies and activities are being implemented
this school year:
1. Incentive programs
a. <<INSERT PROGRAM>> (e.g., 96% Club recognition)
b. <<INSERT PROGRAM>> (e.g., Incentives for classes with the highest attendance)
c. <<INSERT PROGRAM>> (e.g., Parent meeting for students below 96%)
2. Monthly data tracking and sharing
3. Parent engagement activities and recognition for 96% or higher attendance
Your participation and support will be critical to improving attendance at our school. For more
information or to get involved, please contact me at <<PHONE NUMBER>>.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP ALL OF OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED!
Approved by: _____, Principal
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 26
ATTENDANCE NOTIFICATION LETTER [INSERT LETTERHEAD]
Click here to be taken to this letter template in Word (English and Spanish available).
[INSERT DATE]
Dear Parents/Guardians of <<STUDENT NAME>>:
The <<INSTRUCTIONAL DAY>> Instructional Day is <<DATE>>. On this day, all students who have
been enrolled since the first day of school and have << # OF ABSENCES >> or FEWER absences will be
recognized for having Proficient/Advanced attendance. We will celebrate the <<INSTRUCTIONAL
DAY>> day of school with various activities for students who are achieving the goal and/or maintain
Perfect Attendance from today until this date.
Don’t let your child miss out! Send your child to school every day!
As of today, <<STUDENT NAME>> has
an attendance rate of << PERCENT >>% with <<# OF DAYS >> absence(s).
The LAUSD goal for all students is to maintain a Proficient/Advanced attendance rate of 96% or
higher throughout the entire school year. The table below explains in detail how this can be
achieved.
MAINTAINING PROFICIENT/ADVANCED ATTENDANCE
Means having NO MORE THAN 1 absence per 25 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION
INSTRUCTIONAL DAY
ON THIS DATE…
THE FOLLOWING # OF ABSENCES IS ALLOWABLE
25
September 19
0-1 day
50
October 24
0-2 days
75
December 6
0-3 days
100
February 3
0-4 days
125
March 11
0-5 days
150
April 23
0-6 days
175
May 29
0-7 days
If your child has more than 7 absences, please contact the Attendance Improvement Counselor,
<< AIC NAME>>, at <<PHONE NUMBER>> as soon as possible. We will send you an update about your
child’s attendance after every 25 days of instruction (approximately every 5 weeks).
We look forward to continuing our partnership with you.
Sincerely,
<< AIC NAME>>
Attendance Improvement Counselor
Approved by: _____, Principal
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 27
EXCESSIVE ABSENCE LETTER [INSERT LETTERHEAD]
Click here to be taken to this letter template in Word (English and Spanish available).
[INSERT DATE]
Dear Parents/Guardians of <<STUDENT NAME>>:
You are receiving this letter because your child has accrued excessive excused and/or unexcused
absences.
The LAUSD goal for all students is maintaining a Proficient/Advanced attendance rate, which means 7
or less absences throughout the entire school year. Achieving Proficient/Advanced attendance is
directly tied to student achievement. As of this week, your child is NOT meeting the 96% attendance
goal and has already accumulated more than 7 absences, putting him/her at serious risk of falling
behind.
All students are expected to attend school every day, on time. California's compulsory education law
(EC 48200) requires each person between 6 and 18 years of age to attend public, full-time day school
and requires their parents or guardians to send them there, unless legally exempt. According to
Education Code 48260, any pupil who is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days,
or who is tardy or absent more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid
excuse on three occasions, or any combination thereof, may be considered “truant.” Truancy is a
court-punishable offense for both the child and the child’s guardian.
We understand that <<GRADE LEVEL>> can be a challenging transitional year. The following
programs are available to support you and your child:
<<INSERT EXAMPLES>>
<<INSERT EXAMPLE>>
(e.g., Tutoring Program)
<<INSERT EXAMPLE>>
(e.g., Academic Counselors)
<<INSERT EXAMPLE>>
(e.g., After School Programs)
<<INSERT EXAMPLE>>
(e.g., Parent Center workshops)
Please contact the Attendance Improvement Counselor, <<AIC NAME>>, at <<PHONE NUMBER>>.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED!
Sincerely,
Principal
A review of our records shows that your child:
Has an attendance rate of <<PERCENT>>%.
Has accumulated <<# OF DAYS>> absences.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 28
EXTENDED VACATION LETTER [INSERT LETTERHEAD]
Click here to be taken to this letter template in Word (English and Spanish available).
MISSING SCHOOL AFFECTS STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
It takes an average of three days for a student to catch up for each day of school missed.
<< DATE>>
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We need your support to help your child be successful in school. Each day that your child is absent,
he/she misses critical instructional time. The LAUSD goal for all students is to maintain a
Proficient/Advanced attendance rate of 96% or higher throughout the entire school year. This means
having no more than 7 total absences during the school year.
Every student is expected to attend school on a daily basis, unless there is valid justification for
his/her absence (EC 48260). As you make plans for the upcoming <<HOLIDAY/BREAK>> from
<<VACATION DATES>>, we would like to remind you of our attendance policy and state laws
regarding attendance.
According to the California Education Code, students may be excused from school when the absence
is due to:
Illness.
Quarantine
Medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic services.
Attending the funeral of an immediate family member e.g., mother, father,
grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, or any relative living in the immediate
household of the student (one day within the state, three days outside the state)
Jury duty.
Illness or medical treatment of a child of whom the student is the custodial parent.
Justifiable Personal Reasons: when the pupil’s absence has been requested in writing
by the parent and approved by the principal or designee.
Any absence for any reason other than those stated above will be marked unexcused and
may result in your child being classified as truant.
All students are expected to return on <<DATE OF RETURN>>. Support your child’s academic growth
by ensuring he/she is in school every day and on time. If you have any questions, please call the
Attendance Improvement Counselor, <<AIC NAME>>, at <<PHONE NUMBER>>.
Sincerely,
Principal
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 29
DATA SHARING MEMORANDUM TEMPLATE/SAMPLE
Click here to be taken to this template in Word.
[INSERT DATE]
TO: Faculty and Staff
FROM:
SUBJECT: MONTHLY ATTENDANCE UPDATE AND REMINDERS
Current [Grade Level] Attendance Achievement
Superintendent’s Performance Meter Goal (2013-14): 76% of students achieving Proficient/Advanced
Attendance
Proficient/Advanced Attendance (96% or higher) is maintained by having no more than 1 absence for every 25 days of
instruction (a maximum of 7 absences in an 180 day school year).
EXAMPLE [INSERT KEY DATA HERE]:
[Grade Level]: Monthly Classroom* Attendance Rates
*By classroom, advisory, SLC, etc.
Announcements for [MONTH]
Reminders/Alerts
Upcoming holiday/day off for <<holiday name>>
Inclement weather’s impact on absences
Attendance Activities/Events
96% Club recognition
Classroom incentives for classes with the highest attendance
Parent meetings for students falling below 96%
Attendance Tips
Contact parent/guardian to discuss student’s attendance after 25 day progress report
Inquire about student absences and tardies
Encourage students to come to school every day
Approved by: _______, Principal
Far Below Basic
Less than 87%
Below Basic
87-91%
Basic
92-95%
Proficient
96-97%
Advanced
100%
[Grade Level]
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
School-wide
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
% (# students)
School Month
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Teacher A
Teacher B
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 31
Incentive Ideas
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 32
Attendance Incentive Ideas for Students, Elementary
MONTHLY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Classroom Goal/Competition
Use Apple Tree template to track class attendance. Fill in one
apple each day that all students are present in the class. Once
the apple tree is full, reward the students with a class prize or
party.
Apple Tree
Description/Template
Classroom Competition
Have classrooms compete for best attendance rate each month.
Award or recognize the class with the highest attendance rate
each month.
ISIS Attendance Classroom
Report
Bulletin Board Recognition
Post pictures or names of students /classrooms with 100%
attendance, most improved, or 96% and above on a bulletin
board to recognize their achievements.
MyData Extract
Individual Recognition
Hold an assembly to acknowledge individual students with
perfect attendance for specified month. Present certificate of
recognition and/or a certificate to be redeemed at a local eatery.
ISIS Attendance Report
Student Certificates
Individual Award
Award students a monthly “Treat With the Principal” for
perfect/most improved attendance for that particular month
Treat With the Principal
Description
ISIS Attendance Incentive
Report
WEEKLY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Classroom Competition
Utilize Fish Bowl template to track the class attendance for the
week. Each day that all students are present in the class,
add/color a fish to the bowl. Once the bowl is full, reward the
class.
Fishbowl
Description/Template
Individual Student Recognition
Recognize students on a weekly basis utilizing High Five Club.
Students who have attended the full five days of the school
week receive an award/recognition.
High Five
Description/Template
Individual Student Recognition
Provide weekly congratulatory notices/phone calls to parents.
Notification Letter /
Blackboard Connect
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 33
Attendance Incentive Ideas for Students, Elementary
DAILY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Positive Recognition
Teacher/school staff can give daily compliments to
students/classrooms.
Principal can announce over the PA the classroom
with perfect attendance for that day.
ISIS Classroom Attendance
Daily Chance
Every day that a student is present, they are entered into a
drawing. Each week a name is drawn for a “Homework Pass” or
“Lunch Line Pass.”
Homework Pass/Lunch Line
Pass
Random Recognition
Teacher/Administrator randomly gives tickets to those students
recognizing that they were at school and/or on-time.
Caught HERE Today Tickets
Template
TARGETED TIME PERIODS
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Targeted Recognition
“King/Queen Friday’s” to help increase attendance on a specific
day. For example, low attendance days tend to fall on Fridays
and Mondays.
Refer to King/Queen Friday
Incentive Description
Random Drawing Opportunity
Identify low attendance days. On these days, draw names of
students that are present for a reward/prize. For example, a
school may choose to conduct drawings on Mondays to increase
student attendance.
Students are only eligible to
participate in the raffle if
they are present the day of
the drawing. Refer to
Monday Raffle Incentive
Description
Holiday / Extended Vacation Incentive
Provide rewards or plan special events the day before or
returning from vacation.
School Calendar
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 34
Attendance Incentive Ideas for Parents and Teachers, Elementary
PARENTS
Most Improved Recognition
Recognize parents for bringing their child to school on-time
and/or meeting his/her personal improvement goal.
Certificate/Letter Template
Personal Recognition
Set aside some time each week to make phone calls to parents
whose students have improved their attendance.
ISIS Report Extract: Classroom
Attendance Totals by Date
Range
TEACHERS
Teacher Appreciation
Provide teachers with a certificate acknowledging their hard
work for having:
o The Highest Attendance Rate in their grade/
school
o The most improved attendance.
Utilize donations from local businesses to reward teachers.
Post a picture of the classroom(s) with the highest monthly
attendance rate.
ISIS Classroom Attendance
Percentage
Certificates
Camera
TARGETED TIME PERIODS
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 37
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: Treat with the Principal
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve individual student attendance
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Treats (ice cream, cookies & milk, popcorn).
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST:
Cost of treats or get local eateries to donate cookies/popcorn. Try asking cafeteria manager for milk
REWARD PERIOD:
Monthly
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
Monthly ISIS extract to see who had perfect attendance for that month.
Step 2:
Students with perfect attendance for the month will receive a ticket for admission to have a “treat”
with the principal the last 15 minutes of school.
FORMS NEEDED:
None
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 38
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: Perfect Attendance Apple Tree
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve classroom attendance
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Apple Tree worksheet attachment
Apple Stickers or you can also color in the Apples
Mystery prizes for each student in the class
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST:
None
REWARD PERIOD: Every 25-days or less (depending on how many apples you put on the tree)
Each day a class has perfect attendance they may place an apple sticker (color in an apple) on their
tree. On rainy days the class places two stickers (colors in 2 apples). Once the class has completely
filled their tree with all apples, each student will receive their first mystery prize. Repeat the process.
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
Revise Perfect Attendance Tree to reflect each teacher, track, and grade. Laminate and if possible
blow up poster Size
Step 2:
Distribute Perfect Attendance Tree and the apple stickers to each teacher. Ask the teacher to post
the tree in a visible location.
Step 3:
Motivate students by telling them about the great prizes in the morning assembly or during PA
announcements.
FORMS NEEDED:
Sample Apple Tree worksheet attachment
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 39
The Perfect Attendance Apple
Tree
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 40
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: Fish Bowl
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve classroom attendance
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Fish Bowl worksheet attachment
You can color in the Fish
Mystery prizes for each student in the class
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST: None
REWARD PERIOD:
Every 5 days of perfect attendance. Each day a class has perfect attendance they may color in a fish in
the bowl. On rainy days the class colors in 2 fish. Once the class has completely colored in all the fish
in the bowl, each student will receive their first mystery prize. Repeat the process.
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
Distribute Perfect Attendance Fish Bowl worksheet to each teacher. Ask the teacher to post the
worksheet in a visible location.
Step 2:
Speak to the participating classrooms about the importance of school attendance. Explain that each
day that every student is present the class gets closer to the receiving a prize.
Step 3:
Motivate students by telling them about the great prizes in the morning assembly or overhead
speaker.
Step 4:
When all 5 fish are in the fish bowl, reward the class with a party or individual prizes.
FORMS NEEDED:
Sample Fish Bowl worksheet attachment
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 41
Perfect Attendance Fish Bowl
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 42
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: High 5 Club
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve individual daily/weekly attendance
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Badges (4 to 5’ in diameter) with High 5 Club Printed on them (See attachment).
Safety pin to pin the badges on the shirts of the student or use a lanyard made of yarn to hand
the badge on the student’s neck.
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST:
Cost of safety pins or yarn.
REWARD PERIOD:
Weekly. Badges are awarded every Friday for Kindergarten Students with Perfect Attendance all
week (5-days).
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
Design, create, order or use existing design to print badges
Step 2:
Keep track of Perfect attendance for the Kindergarteners. Run an ISIS extract or determine based on
teacher rosters.
Step 3:
Every Friday Hand out Badges to the students with perfect attendance that week.
Step 4:
Teachers are encouraged to give high fives to those students wearing the badges as a way of
congratulating their attendance success.
FORMS NEEDED:
High 5 Club Badges attachment
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 43
High Five Club Sample Badges
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 44
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: King/Queen Fridays
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve individual/classroom attendance for a specific day (in this
case Fridays)
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Foam Sheet Crowns
Stickers
Yarn
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST:
$1.00 for 24 Crowns
$1.00 for 1 book of 200 stickers
REWARD PERIOD:
Every Friday that students are present they wear their crown in the form of a necklace. Each Friday
that they are present in school, they earn a sticker to be placed on their crown.
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
Hand out crown necklaces to all students who are present on Friday.
Step 2:
Reward each student with a sticker to place on their crown each Friday.
Step 3:
Beam with joy every Friday that you are named King &/or Queen for attending school.
FORMS NEEDED:
None
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 45
STUDENT ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY
NAME/TITLE: Weekly Monday Morning Attendance Assembly
TARGET POPULATION: K-5
OBJECTIVE: To improve weekly attendance as well as attendance on Mondays
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
A bowl
Drawing/raffle tickets
(2) 99₵ prizes each week
For Free or Inexpensive Rewards refer to the Reward Ideas PDF
APPROXIMATE COST:
$2.00/week
REWARD PERIOD:
Every Monday the names of every Kindergarten Student who was present in school from (Monday –
Friday) the week prior to the drawing date (Monday), is entered into a bowl. Two students are
selected for having perfect attendance, and they win a prize.
DESCRIPTION:
Step 1:
On the Friday prior to the drawing, all teachers will place the tickets of those students who were
present all week in an envelope.
Step 2:
All teachers will place their drawing tickets in the bowl for the drawing.
Step 4:
The Attendance Mantra is sung before the drawing begins.
Step 5:
Two student’s names are selected from the bowl, and they are awarded a prize.
FORMS NEEDED:
None
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 46
Attendance Incentive Ideas, Secondary
MONTHLY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Classroom Competitions
Traveling Trophy to class with highest attendance %
Ice Cream Party, Popcorn Party, Pizza Party, or Nachos,
class with highest attendance.
AT24 Monthly Report
Traveling Trophy
Instructions
Ice Cream Party Instructions
Bulletin Board
Picture displayed to recognize students with Perfect Attendance
for the entire month.
The Great Race Instructions
VIP Invites
Provide students a VIP ticket for access to VIP seating area for a
school event, assembly, concert, etc.
Tickets
Assembly
Acknowledge students with Perfect Attendance/Most Improved
Attendance during an assembly.
Certificate
Publicized Announcements
VII. Acknowledge students or classes with Proficient/
Advanced Attendance in school newsletter.
VIII. Announce names of students with Perfect Attendance
over the PA.
AT24 Report
Monthly Newsletter
Attendance Awareness Month
Promote attendance through weekly themes such as: Pajama Day,
Twin Day, Sports Day, School Spirit Day, Backwards Day, etc.
Pajama Day Flyer
WEEKLY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Student Recognition:
IX. Individual student recognition
X. Provide classrooms with small certificates for students with
perfect weekly attendance. Names to be read out loud.
XI. Raffles (School functions, games, prizes)
XII. Weekly phone calls made to parents, Congratulations/Keep
it up notices sent home.
AT24 Weekly report
BlackBoard Connect
Mentor Program
XIII. Administrator, teacher, counselors, office staff, etc. paired
up with a student to help them move up in bands.
Weekly check-ins,
Spend time with favorite
staff member
First In Line Pass
Weekly pass drawing
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 47
Attendance Incentive Ideas, Secondary
DAILY
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Positive Comments/ Compliments for Attending Class
Teacher/School Staff can give
daily compliments to students
Administrators can announce
classrooms, SLCs, or Homerooms
with PA for the day.
PA Announcement of attendance drawing
Students are awarded a ticket for
each day of attendance
Each day of PA earns you “bucks”, “coupons”.
Issue daily, collect
weekly/monthly for prizes
TARGETED TIME PERIODS
Incentives / Recognition
Reports/Tools
STUDENTS
Extra Points/Double Incentives
AT24 Weekly Attendance (M/F)
25
th
, 100
th
, 175
th
day of School Celebrations
CST Random Drawing Opportunity
Promote attendance during CST
Holiday / Extended Vacation Incentive
Provide rewards or plan special events the day before or after
returning from vacation.
School Calendar
PARENTS
Attendance Assembly
Recognize parents with a certificate acknowledging their hard
work & effort for Proficient & Advanced attending students.
MyData
Certificate
Personal Recognition
Make BlackBoard Connect calls directed to parents for their role in
students attending at Proficient and Advanced attendance rate.
MyData
SIS extract
BlackBoard Connect
TEACHERS
Teacher Appreciation
Provide teachers with a certificate acknowledging their hard work
for having:
The Highest Attendance Rate in their grade/school
The most improved attendance
AT24 Monthly Attendance
Certificates
Utilize donations from local businesses to reward teachers.
Incentives
Bulletin Board Recognition
Post a picture of the classroom(s) with the highest monthly
attendance rate.
AT24 Monthly Attendance
Camera
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 48
Student Attendance Incentive Program, Secondary
NAME/TITLE: The Great Attendance Race
TARGET POPULATION: Secondary
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
An enclosed display case in a highly visible location, such as main hallway, or school entrance
Black Butcher Paper to draw “Race Track”,
Yellow Tempera Paint & paint brush to divide tracks (one per class)
Different color “Car cut-outs” (one per class)
Fast Food meal coupons (McDonald’s, In-N-Out, Carl’s Jr. etc.) to be given to the winning
classes (amount depends on # of students per classroom).
APPROXIMATE COST:
Meal vouchers can be requested as donations from local eateries or businesses in the community
after AIC Counselor writes request letters at the beginning of the school year.
REWARD PERIOD:
Attendance reports can be run at the beginning of each month for the month prior.
DESCRIPTION:
The display case shows: a) the race cars that represent each grade 9 homeroom/designated class and
where their respective class attendance is on the race course that month. The “race track” is marked
with signs that say “94%, 95%, 96%” etc. Generate an AT24 by school month by Homeroom in SIS.
Position each car after the attendance has been calculated for the month. This case is near the Main
Office, so it’s highly visible to students and visitors. The winning class will receive a meal coupon for a
fast food restaurant in the community.
FORMS NEEDED:
A description of the attendance incentive program and the goals for the students should be sent
home to parents at the beginning of the school year.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 49
Student Attendance Incentive Program, Secondary
NAME/TITLE: Ice-Cream Party
TARGET POPULATION: Secondary
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Ice-Cream
Individual Student Advanced or Proficient Certificates
APPROXIMATE COST:
Ice-Cream can be purchased from Student Body funds, donated by a local business, or purchased with
a donated gift card from a local market (after AIC Counselor writes request letters at the beginning of
the school year).
REWARD PERIOD:
The homeroom/SLC with the best attendance will receive an Ice-Cream party. Certificates will be
issued to individual students reaching the goal of 96% or better attendance.
DESCRIPTION:
Make a memorandum with details of the Ice-Cream Party Incentive for all homeroom teachers/SLCs.
Display boards advertising the Party in the school hallways, or area with high 9
th
grade traffic.
Generate an AT24 by school month by Homeroom in SIS. Announce the winners on the PA system.
Have the school principal or administrator read the results. Award the class by awarding individual
students with Advanced/Proficient Attendance certificates and bringing them Ice-Cream to their
class.
FORMS NEEDED:
A description of the attendance program and the goals for the students (send home to parents at the
beginning of the school year), program introduction letter to teachers, letters to businesses for
donations, and posters to be placed in hallways.
Ice-Cream can be substituted with Popcorn, Nachos, or Pizza.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 50
Student Attendance Incentive, Secondary
NAME/TITLE: Traveling Trophy
TARGET POPULATION: Secondary
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Trophies, # depends on the amount of classrooms competing, marked “Best Practices” and “Most
Improved Attendance” (approx. 4-6)
Fast food meal coupons (McDonalds, In-N-Out, Carl’s Jr., etc.) to be given to the winning classes (#
depends on the # of students per winning classroom).
APPROXIMATE COST:
Trophies can be purchased from Student Body funds, donated by a local business, or purchased with
a donation.
REWARD PERIOD:
The Homeroom/SLC with the best attendance will receive a Trophy. Certificates will be issued to
students in that class room.
DESCRIPTION:
Make a memorandum with details of the Traveling Trophy incentive for all homeroom teachers/SLCs.
Display boards advertising the incentive in the school hallways, or area with high 9
th
grade traffic.
Generate an AT24 by school month by Homeroom in SIS. Announce the winners on the PA system.
Ask the school principal or administrator to read the results.
FORMS NEEDED:
A description of the attendance program and the goals for the students, teachers and office staff.
Flyers or posters to advertise the incentives.
Traveling Trophy P.A. Announcement Script:
Good morning [High School]. This is your [title & name]. I would like to congratulate all of the
students who have perfect attendance for the month of _________. If you have perfect attendance for
the month of _________, expect your certificate in the mail!
Also, on behalf of the attendance office staff, we would like to congratulate the following
Homeroom/SLC classes for having the highest attendance for the month of _________.
Grade 9
In Third place we have _________ class with _________%.
In Second place we have _________ class with _________%.
And In First Place we have _________ %. _________ please send a student to pick up your trophy,
which you will keep until the end of the month. Congratulations once again!
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 58
Frequently Used Attendance Terms
Average Daily Attendance: The average daily attendance (ADA) is a statistic representing total
number of days of attendance for all students divided by the total number of school days in a given
period. ADA reports are submitted to the state and are used to determine funding for schools.
ADA Revenue Per Student: The ADA Revenue Per Student is a state-determined dollar amount
allocated to public schools. This rate can fluctuate each year.
ADA Revenue Loss (MyData): The ADA revenue loss is an estimation of the dollar amount lost due to
student absenteeism. An estimated daily rate, which fluctuates annually based on the ADA rate set
by the State of California, is derived by multiply the estimated daily rate ($31.33/day, for example) by
all full day student absences as reflected in ISIS. To view your school’s estimated revenue loss and
estimated daily ADA rate information log in to MyData.
Attendance and Dropout Prevention Plan: The Attendance and Dropout Prevention (ADP) Plan is a
written attendance plan devised by each school’s designated Attendance and Dropout Prevention
Team, for the purposes of communicating and meeting their school’s student attendance goals and
to meet the District mandates.
Attendance and Dropout Prevention Team: The ADP Team is a team of designated school staff at
each school that meets regularly to write the ADP Plan, and ensures that the plan, objectives and
programs are being monitored and modified as needed, in order to meet the school/district’s
attendance goals. Persons that should be included may include, but is not limited to, the following:
Principal/ Assistant Principal, Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor (PSA), Attendance
Improvement Counselor (AIC), School Psychologist, Academic counselors, Dean, School Nurse, Diploma
Project Counselors (DPC), Campus aides, Teachers, Attendance office/Records clerks,
Parents/guardians, Students, Campus police and/or school safety personnel.
Attendance Improvement Program: The Attendance Improvement Program (AIP) is a program that
was launched during the 2011-12 school year, with a mission to improve attendance by providing
focused support to students in Kindergarten and Grade 9. The AIP goal from one year to the next is
to achieve a 5% increase in the percentage of students attending at 96% or higher in the targeted
grade level.
Attendance Improvement Counselor: The Attendance Improvement Counselor is a Pupil Services and
Attendance (PSA) counselor in a specialized program called the Attendance Improvement Program.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 59
Chronic Absence: In the Los Angeles Unified School District, chronic absence is defined as an
attendance rate of 91% or less. Chronic Absence is associated with the two lowest attendance
performance levels: below basic attendance and far below basic attendance. Through various
research findings, chronic absence has been linked to lower levels of student achievement. To
receive more information on these studies, click here.
Cumulative Attendance rate: The cumulative attendance rate is a statistic that depicts the most
current attendance rate, accounting for attendance from the beginning of a given school year. It is
different from the monthly attendance rate in that it does not capture an individual month’s
attendance rate.
Monthly Attendance rate: The monthly attendance rate is a statistic that depicts the attendance
rate for the specific month. It is different from cumulative attendance rate in that it does not
incorporate the attendance rate from other months.
Performance Meter: The performance meter is a scorecard to measure and guide the performance of
our district through indicators that center on the District’s five goals: 100% Graduation, Proficiency
for All, 100% Attendance, Parent and Community Engagement, and School Safety.
Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselor: Click here for job description.
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 60
Student Attendance Performance Levels: The student attendance performance levels (aligned to the
five student achievement performance levels) were created in order to establish a strategic method
in tracking attendance data. See illustration below for performance meter goals and the definition
for the five attendance performance levels.
Advanced Attendance: Students who achieve advanced attendance maintain an
attendance rate of 100% cumulative from the first day of school, with zero absences.
Proficient Attendance: Students with proficient attendance maintain an attendance rate
of 96-99% cumulative from the first day of school and are meeting the superintendent’s
district-wide goal.
Basic Attendance: Students with basic attendance have an attendance rate of 92-95%
cumulative from the first day of school.
Below Basic Attendance: Students with below basic attendance have an attendance rate
of 87-91% cumulative from the first day of school. (Also, see definition for Chronic
Absence)
Far Below Basic Attendance: Students with far below basic attendance have an
attendance rate below 87% cumulative from the first day of school. (Also, see definition
for Chronic Absence)
Attendance Improvement Program, Pupil Services 61
List of Hyperlinked Toolkit Documents and Templates
Document Title
(click to access the document template)
File Type
1. Attendance Improvement Counselor Job Description
pdf
2. Instructional Day Planning 2013-14
MS Excel
3. Weekly and Monthly Classroom Attendance Worksheet (Secondary)
MS Excel
4. Daily Absence Tracking Worksheet
MS Excel
5. Introduction/Policy Letter (English/Spanish)
MS Word
6. Attendance Notification Letter (English/Spanish)
MS Word
7. Excessive Absence Letter (English/Spanish)
MS Word
8. Extended Vacation Letter (English/Spanish)
MS Word
9. Data Sharing Memo Template
MS Word
10. Attendance Newsletter Template
MS Word
11. Caught Here Today Incentive tickets
MS Word
12. Lunch Line/Homework pass
MS Word
13. CST Campaign Flier (1)
MS Word
14. CST Campaign Flier (2)
MS Word
15. CST Opportunity Drawing/Awareness
MS Word
16. Classroom First in Lunch line pass
MS Publisher
17. Attendance Awareness Parent Postcard template
MS Publisher
18. Recognition Certificate (1)
MS Publisher
19. Recognition Certificate (2)
MS Publisher
20. Pajama Day Flier
MS Word
21. Reward Ideas
pdf
22. School Community Resource Guide
MS Word
