Attendance & Chronic Absenteeism September Newsletter

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 09/14/2023 08:12 AM PDT

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New Guidance & Attendance Resources
What is the Right Work Right Now?
Truancy 101 Webinar Recording Available
2023 Becca Conference- Register Now!
Update Your District's Absenteeism and Truancy Liaison Info
ESD Attendance Support
Attendance Fall Tips
Ready to Go Resources

New Guidance & Attendance Resources

Updated Withdrawing Guidance

As the school year begins, please remember:

OSPI does not require that districts withdraw students for apportionment purposes or for CEDARS reporting.

OSPI has recently published updated guidance on the state requirements that impact student enrollment and withdrawal.

Compulsory Attendance (Truancy)
Apportionment
CEDARS

Click here to read the updated guidance.

Attendance Letters that Communicate Support

Have you taken a look at your attendance & truancy letters recently? Do they communicate in a supportive tone? Are they easy to read and accessible? We have some templates to help you to do this!

This beginning of the year Attendance Letter Template provides parents with the information about attendance required by law in RCW28.A225.005.

We also have truancy letter samples for you to consider:

Commonly Asked Question

Can a student's grade be reduced due to lack of attendance?

Typically, OSPI does not prescribe grading practices, as this is the role of local school boards. However, state statute and rules do establish requirements regarding attendance and grading...

Read the complete answer to this question in the Attendance & Truancy FAQ.

Click here to read more on the Attendance & Truancy FAQ.

What is the Right Work Right Now?

If you can say YES to this question...you are in a good place to improve attendance rates!

Do we have an attendance team that meets often to use attendance data to drive tier 1 prevention actions?

Truancy 101 Webinar Recording Available

Did you miss the Truancy 101 Webinar? The recording is now available on Youtube.com/waOSPI

Click here for webinar recording

2023 Becca Conference- Register Now!

2023 Washington State Becca Conference, October 12-13

The Becca Conference brings together experts representing education, justice, and community from across the region to provide new information, training, and development to professional and community members who support young people in their pursuit of successful post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Conference Agenda
Hotel Information: Call and mention "Becca Conference" to receive group rate

Register here

Update Your District's Absenteeism and Truancy Liaison Info

All school districts are required to designate and identify a person or persons to coordinate school district efforts to address excessive absenteeism and truancy to the OSPI (RCW 28A.225.026). Does your district have someone identified? You can verify and update your district’s liaison information on OSPI's District Truancy Liaison Website.

District Truancy Liaison Office Hours

OSPI will be hosting office hours for District Truancy Liaisons and Building Attendance & Truancy Leads. This meeting is a great opportunity to connect and learn from peers across the state doing similar work.

Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 2:00pm

Register Here

ESD Attendance Support

Did you know all 9 Educational Service Districts have an Attendance & Reengagement Coordinator to provide regional support?

You can find the ESD Attendance & Reengagement Coordinator contact information on the OSPI Attendance Resources webpage.

Click here for ESD Attendance Coordinator Contacts

Attendance Fall Tips

September is Attendance Awareness Month!!

The beginning of the school year is an opportunity to promote positive and supportive messaging for students, families, communities, and educators, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of attendance.

You can find Attendance Awareness templates, toolkits, and social media messaging on the OSPI Attendance Awareness Materials webpage here.

Ready to Go Resources

What can you be doing each season to improve attendance?

District Attendance Activity Calendar
K-12 Schools Attendance Activity Calendar
Attendance Playbook: Smart Solutions for Reducing Student Absenteeism Post-Pandemic
K-12 Dive Family Connection Playbook: Build Bridges with Families to Support Students
Attendance Works Incentives Tips
Attendance Works Health Handouts Resources

Articles

Washington Post article: A surge in absentee students might require a radical rethink of schools
74million: New NAEP Scores Reveal the Failure of Pandemic Academic Recovery Efforts

Questions?

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

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