Continuous Improvement Project: Save all unpresent students

CIP-Project SAUP (Save All Unpresent Students)
Poor attendance can delay social and emotional learning. It is also a primary cause
of

low

academic
achievement
at every grade
level, and it is
a

strong

indicator

of

which
students
at

a

are

higher

risk

for

dropping out.
Students who
are chronically
absent,

they

miss 10
percent or more of the school year and they are at serious risk of falling behind in school.
A chronic absenteeism rate in our school is high in Grade 7 compared to other grade level
-considering the rate of drop-out from 2016 to 2019.

The following are the best practices implemented by our CIP-Project SAUP (Save All
Unpresent Students):
1. The first step to boosting attendance is to clearly communicate school attendance
expectations to students and their families, e.g. in the student handbook, school
website, and in face-to-face meetings. Be sure to explain the importance of
attendance and why being on time and in school matters. If attendance is a schoolor district-wide issue, set a measurable attendance goal in the school improvement
plan and regularly monitor progress toward that goal.
2. An attendance team is the first line of defense against chronic absenteeism. The
team monitors attendance daily, tracks progress toward attendance goals, and
communicates with parents and students about issues as they arise. Parents
should be notified of an absence as early in the day as possible. This can be done
by a team member or by an automated system. However, with a personal phone

call, the team member has the added benefit of making notes about whom they
spoke with and the details of the call, which can be helpful if the issue continues.
3. To prevent small problems from becoming large problems, it is also helpful to
create and set “triggers” to instantly alert the attendance team and school leaders
to absences. For example, if a student is absent two days in a row or absent more
than a certain number of days in a specific period of time, the student’s name is
flagged. This signals the team that additional intervention may be required, such
as a parent meeting or home visit. During the meeting or visit, develop an
attendance action plan, focusing on accountability but with a positive mindset.
Again, emphasize why it is in the student’s best interest to attend school.

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