About the Webinar
OSPI recently hosted a webinar to answer commonly asked questions about withdrawing students, such as: “Are districts required to unenroll students after 20 days of absences”? and “How do I report students to CEDARS if they do not attend before the first count day of the school year?”
We reviewed the state requirements (apportionment, CEDARS, and truancy) impacting withdrawing students.
We also heard from Yakima and Franklin Pierce School Districts on how they balance the apportionment rules, data reporting requirements and keeping students enrolled and connected to school.
Check out the recording here.
Our team receives many questions from school practitioners related to attendance; the most common this year has been about excessive excused absences. Here is OSPI's guidance on this topic:
What can districts do about excessive excused absences?
For many valid reasons, students are absent from school. However, even when there is communication from the parent, absences add up and can significantly impact a student’s progress towards learning. To that end, in addition to the legal requirements for elementary excused absences, there is regulatory authority for districts to address excessive excused absences. Click here to read more guidance on excessive excused absences.
Spokane Schools put twist on March Madness brackets using student attendance
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Reengagement Specialist Chris Clay from ESD 101 ran the first March Madness Attendance Challenge at North Central High School. Each week, every teacher was assigned a matchup against another teacher. The teacher whose classes had the highest average attendance advanced to the next round, progressing through the bracket until there was only one teacher remaining. Prizes were given out to the winning classes and the class with the best attendance during the week was celebrated.
Click here to see how North Central High School was recognized by local news for this March Madness challenge.
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Click here to watch the YouTube video created for this attendance competition.
Attendance Works kicks off the Attendance Awareness Campaign and Tacoma Public Schools will be presenting!
What is the Re-envisioning Truancy Project?
Through this project, OSPI will explore, with our partners, equitable truancy policies and practices that will engage and support all youth to access their education. Our purpose is to engage stakeholders to develop policy and funding recommendations for OSPI leadership. We will do this by engaging with students and families with lived experience of the truancy process and our education partners who implement attendance & truancy policies and practices. See the complete project description here
Sign up for the Advisory Network to Stay Informed
By signing up, you will receive regular updates and opportunities to participate in the outreach, recruitment, provide feedback, participate in interviews or surveys, and weighing in on the recommendations.
To sign up, please email jenna.millett@k12.wa.us
OSPI & ESD 101 recently developed guidance on selecting an assessment/screener to use as part of your truancy and attendance system. Find the guidance and examples on the OSPI Attendance Resources & Materials webpage.
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During the pandemic, students across the state disconnected from school for a variety of reasons: they sought employment to support their family, cared for younger siblings, experienced illness, experienced food and housing insecurity, and more. In Washington, educators and education professionals have been able to reconnect students to their public schools by, meeting them where they are.
Click here to read more on how Burlington-Edison and Yakima School Districts are reengaging students.
Learn more about the ESSER Attendance & Reengagement Project here.
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Check Out the Video on Elida's Reengagement Story Below!
Presented by Sharon Bradley, M.Ed. & ED311
Chronic absenteeism is on the rise in schools across the country. The latest national data reveals that roughly 70% of schools are experiencing increased student absences. Effectively addressing chronic absenteeism cannot be done in isolation. It takes a unified commitment from schools, families, and community stakeholders to implement actionable, innovative solutions to this growing issue.
Click here for more webinar information and registration.
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