Learning Series 5 Session 1 -- August 20, 2024 by TN

2024-08-20 19:39:06 UTC

the attendance task force was great information

2024-08-20 19:39:09 UTC

WY - moving away from punitive models

2024-08-20 19:39:15 UTC

Loved the attendance advocate

2024-08-20 19:39:23 UTC

It wasn't a surprise.

2024-08-20 19:39:28 UTC

They had business leaders from around the state--not just education people

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:39:39 UTC

shift from talking in legal terms about truancy to talking in terms that are easy to understand

2024-08-20 19:39:41 UTC

incorporating student voice and student supports for navigating absentee issues

2024-08-20 19:39:45 UTC

The attendance advocate is an excellent idea.

2024-08-20 19:39:50 UTC

attendance guide for the whole state very helpful to streamline an operating procedure for everyone equally

2024-08-20 19:39:51 UTC

thought the hour breakdown was novel

2024-08-20 19:39:53 UTC

Ohio attendance is measured by hours, rather than days

2024-08-20 19:39:53 UTC

Interesting that absenteeism is tracked by hour instead of by day

2024-08-20 19:39:58 UTC

MS - The Task Force was interesting. I want to hear more about it, how it works, how people work together.

2024-08-20 19:40:00 UTC

partnerhsip with stay in the game and other was really important

2024-08-20 19:40:00 UTC

Inclusion of youth voice

2024-08-20 19:40:03 UTC

The relationship focus was awesome.

2024-08-20 19:40:07 UTC

Interested to learn more about the State of the Game partnership

2024-08-20 19:40:19 UTC

Student voice and task force and the amount of support around this

2024-08-20 19:40:28 UTC

The creation of a Task Force and Tiered levels of support and the individual liaison support.

2024-08-20 19:40:36 UTC

Advocate approach instead of a punitive approach makes a positive difference

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:40:41 UTC

They have done so much research around the tiers and what really works,

2024-08-20 19:40:45 UTC

Delsa - dedication of an FTE at the SEA dedicated to attendance

2024-08-20 19:40:52 UTC

OR - The Task Force concept is intriguing. We are working on integrated several funding streams that relate to community and family engagement. We want to see how communities guide the discussion.

2024-08-20 19:40:54 UTC

The attendance guide was very impressive; The conversation around tier support for individuals and how they are structed in Ohio; weekly office hours

2024-08-20 19:40:54 UTC

Tier 1 communication was interesting, state-wide strategy is great! Including business partners is another positive approach.

2024-08-20 19:40:57 UTC

Integrating Student Voices

2024-08-20 19:41:01 UTC

tiered systems of support at the state level and looking at the heat map and addressing differentiated; and the individualized at that tier 3

2024-08-20 19:41:08 UTC

The statewide approach

2024-08-20 19:41:14 UTC

AZ - use of team sports to frame messaging around recommendations; appreciated training tools and resources to support staff

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:41:22 UTC

The surveying, especially the parents responses and the relationship barriers

2024-08-20 19:41:29 UTC

Hired someone strictly to focus on attendance efforts. This can be difficult in other states

2024-08-20 19:41:31 UTC

NY-we are locally controlled so we won't be able to give intensive support. Like the weekly OH to monthly webinars

2024-08-20 19:41:42 UTC

Impressed by the systemic approach addressing attendance/chronic absenteeism inclusive of all stakeholders

2024-08-20 19:41:42 UTC

Resonates with Ohio, some districts are changing punitive measures as well. have received feedback from families and students.

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:41:51 UTC

regional trainings and weekly office hours

2024-08-20 19:41:57 UTC

Not bringing up punitive measures. Communication is about connecting and it's about community.

2024-08-20 19:41:58 UTC

VA- Coordinator in Parent & Family engagement- I liked that Ohio did not take a one size fits all approach. There were different layers of training and strategies .

Idaho- The amount of resources they have been able to provide. They have an individual who oversees this in their Dept. of Ed.

MN- Appreciated that they mentioned Family & Community Engagement with their strategies- schools place kids want to be and families trust sending their kids.

2024-08-20 19:42:09 UTC

It is great that they utilize the tier system approach at the state level.

Question:

For the schools that fall under tier III, are the recommendations just that or is there some sense of accountability (required to do the things recommended).

2024-08-20 19:42:17 UTC

Oregon - tribal schools, TAP Tribal Attendance Pilot program sites. Robust mechanism for attendance and community connection.

2024-08-20 19:42:22 UTC

MN- Model to support family and schools. First thing is to establish a high trust between families and communities.

2024-08-20 19:42:27 UTC

AZ - MTSS integration

2024-08-20 19:42:28 UTC

The approach to local-level resources and support is positive.

2024-08-20 19:42:29 UTC

The focus was involving the whole community, not just one individual

2024-08-20 19:42:30 UTC

2024-08-20 19:42:53 UTC

Research confirms that the more parents are involved in students education the more positive the learning outcomes. Student, family, and community engagement is key.

2024-08-20 19:43:04 UTC

UT--community resource map that highlights different resources and how they provide resources and support that could support attendance (eg. tutoring, mental help supports) more of a localized community resource map

2024-08-20 19:43:11 UTC

CNMI - We do have a similar approach to the Attendance Task Force, but need work on shifting the mindset to building trusting relationships vs punitive

2024-08-20 19:43:21 UTC

Great that Ohio includes student voices - the most powerful voices

2024-08-20 19:43:23 UTC

NY - Curious to know how attendance improvements correlated with academic progress. From the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion, how did those improvements look for marginalized communities?

2024-08-20 19:43:27 UTC

EWIMS - Michigan

2024-08-20 19:43:28 UTC

Move away from punitive approaches.

2024-08-20 19:44:08 UTC

Plano TX--we're meeting the community where they are; more face to face rather than digital. visiting institutions and local religious organizations and sharing the importance of attendance; what does attendance mean for growth. We are showing up.

2024-08-20 19:44:09 UTC

We just completed an attendance toolkit that is similar to Ohio's

2024-08-20 19:44:10 UTC

IL - statewide survey for students and families, part of state report card. Culture/climate snapshot.

Competitive grant to address truancy - work with all stakeholders in community, demonstrate in grant application.

2024-08-20 19:44:13 UTC

Family engagement more of an indicator of attendance than poverty.. interesting to hear this research echoed back.

2024-08-20 19:44:20 UTC

Doing intentional individualized approach - sending notes, going to where they are. Seeing the school as those who care, wanting to make connections

2024-08-20 19:44:21 UTC

IA - support is currently individualized. We are working towards data collection to help inform the team

2024-08-20 19:44:23 UTC

The positive language is very intriguing and really makes relationship building the core of the intent.

2024-08-20 19:45:03 UTC

Time, Staffing, Funding

2024-08-20 19:45:07 UTC

MD- Support birth-5, so relationships are established prior to entering. Rapport has already been built with staff prior to entering school.

2024-08-20 19:45:09 UTC

Idaho - developed a toolkit to address chronic absenteeism

2024-08-20 19:45:10 UTC

ME - Partnering with community schools, working on engaging community health needs.

2024-08-20 19:45:12 UTC

We have a person at almost every school in the role of Parent-Community Networking Centers (PCNCs) where they serve to create supportive partnerships among the home, the school, and the community for the purposes of supporting student success, and building a sense of family and community.

2024-08-20 19:45:13 UTC

NH- We are changing our data collection systems. The way we are calculating will change (before hourly/daily), now switching everyone to daily. The way we were collecting made it look worse. We are working on getting that down first. Once we get that down- we will have a better look at what is happening

2024-08-20 19:45:16 UTC

Student voices! Talking with the students about what gets them to school.

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:45:22 UTC

customized training for different roles in the school

2024-08-20 19:45:25 UTC

MN - Looking forward to seeing the report. Love that they dedicated a person to the report.

2024-08-20 19:45:30 UTC

OK - have had previous attendance initiatives; Ohio had someone completely dedicated toward and that could be a barrier; in OK a district-by-district initiative; carrying the work when it lives with separate teams or just one person

2024-08-20 19:46:13 UTC

We have a school attendance task force state wide which is seeking to improve attendance. We have created a manual with interventions that can be incorporated state wide.

2024-08-20 19:46:39 UTC

NY--barrier is that the funding goes directly to the localities so we don't have anything to offer to the localities. We try to encourage districts, but we don't have the funding.

2024-08-20 19:46:49 UTC

Idaho: training about chronic absenteeism, gather parent and student input, building a leadership team to incentivize feedback, social media posts to incentivize attendance.

2024-08-20 19:46:51 UTC

MS - Sept is attendance awareness month, also have a robust toolkit and training

2024-08-20 19:47:01 UTC

In RI, we have commercials, bill boards, social media commercials and other visible entities that broadcast RI's Attendance Matters campaign.

2024-08-20 19:47:11 UTC

PA - Good resources for removing barriers in school, out of school, in the communities.

2024-08-20 19:47:28 UTC

We're working on making our data more actionable and consistent

2024-08-20 19:47:37 UTC

PA: Policies and regulations focus on the student and family, not as much community engagement. Looking to expand the community engagement piece more.

2024-08-20 19:47:40 UTC

managing health conditions to keep students in school (school nurse)

2024-08-20 19:47:41 UTC

ME - Appreciated the heat map!

2024-08-20 19:47:47 UTC

Maine- Tammy has a question. This is the first time I've heard that about hours instead of days. Is it preferred to go by hourly to track attendance? - NH: What happens when you collect at half days, even if you tell schools to only count if they are absent for a half day. If they have a doctors appointment where they are only out for a small portion- it doesn't fit with chronic absenteeism definition. When you do it for half days- we were adding all students absent for 20 half days-- and they weren't actually a half day. It's more accurate to track hours.

2024-08-20 19:48:00 UTC

CA - child welfare and attendance credential. Added on to counseling/social work/PPS credentials.

Special populations tailored outreach.

Communicating in home language, culturally relational communication important.

2024-08-20 19:48:20 UTC

CNMI - the need to implement Family/ Parent Liaisons to serve as bridges = Funding $$$ - this will improve building trust, foundation of learning, student supports, etc.

2024-08-20 19:48:25 UTC

We are struggling to show how community partnerships correlate to student attendance.

2024-08-20 19:48:27 UTC

OR - In this state, attendance is woven into many different priorities rather than being a single indicator.

2024-08-20 19:48:50 UTC

Trying to reach out to community about events about engagement and connectedness.

Help students and parents feel a sense of belonging

2024-08-20 19:48:55 UTC

MN--improve in general the conditions for learning and knowing that attendance is a sympton of that. Making sure we are aligned statewide.

2024-08-20 19:49:00 UTC

Holistic feedback from community of school.

Resources and increased school staff pay.

Resources to create well being, navigate conflict, building community.

2024-08-20 19:49:11 UTC

AZ - Really liked the approach of forming a task force in Ohio.

2024-08-20 19:49:11 UTC

We offer numerous family engagement professional learning opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and mindsets. We also offer training in establishing systemic supports for family engagement across districts and schools. We are also working with school counselors to building student supports - measuring sense of hope and belonging and attendance. We also created a Road Map for Families of students learning English. ohiofamiliesenage.osu.edu

2024-08-20 19:49:40 UTC

AZ: Collect data on Native American student absenteeism across the state, give this information to tribes (consultation). Native American student advisory council that includes parents. Statewide summit brings together all educators, stakeholders, tribal leaders, etc. Looking for more organic conversations about this.

2024-08-20 19:49:48 UTC

Human resources, funding, the right people in the right places. A profile in place - look at training. How does all of this relate to closing the achievement gap. had to look at resources such as partnerships. Needed to look at the multiple layers at the state level

2024-08-20 19:49:56 UTC

Relied on Attendance Works resources

2024-08-20 19:50:44 UTC

Arizona- work with migratory parents as a target audience. Go through process of engaging them through communications and meetings that includes an orientation about the school system and the benefit of being part of the program (tutoring), with cultural awareness and acknowledgement of communicating in the native language

2024-08-20 19:50:56 UTC

Plano TX--when we talk about inclusivity, how can we bring different courses that will encourgae students to come to school. What will get students excited to come to school? What kinds of pathways and early college options can we offer? Cooking class was very popular. We;re asking members in the community what they would like to see. Our CTE dept is helping out a lot so we can target student interests

2024-08-20 19:51:11 UTC

examples from other states on student, family, and community engagement efforts

2024-08-20 19:51:25 UTC

Prevention - positive school climates will remediate absenteeism.

Resources to ensure students feel safe and connected.

mgildin — 2024-08-20 19:51:40 UTC

sample parent letters that are more friendly

2024-08-20 19:51:43 UTC

Transportation!

2024-08-20 19:51:45 UTC

ID- we are a year and a half into a new term for state wide superintend. Attendance is being watched at local level. There are two of us on this call. Over the summer, we built communication tool kits.

2024-08-20 19:52:00 UTC

AZ - Having many different agencies, Tribal Nations, and others involved in school systems presents a both facilitators and barriers.

2024-08-20 19:52:07 UTC

Technology/ more strategic use of funding

2024-08-20 19:52:08 UTC

WI - "Make a kid feel they will be missed if they don't come to school."

2024-08-20 19:52:10 UTC

Are classroom teachers part of the support system when we talk about student, family, and community engagement?

southwestcc — 2024-08-20 19:52:21 UTC

There isn't a common definition of chronic absenteeism--since OH calculates by hours, that is different from other states

sunicastle — 2024-08-20 19:52:38 UTC

CA - We have a statewide Initiative called the Community Engagement Initiative that builds the capacity of LEAs/school communities on how to effectively engage. Everything to using data, how to have difficult conversations, how to plan, and budget recources

2024-08-20 19:52:42 UTC

Transportation reform.

2024-08-20 19:52:49 UTC

District found social influences of health impact attendance; instances of domestic violence and substance use disorders were preventing students from coming to school. District bought a building in the marginalized community and created a comprehensive service center, moved all the district counselors offices there and opening up to family members as well.

2024-08-20 19:53:04 UTC

MD- Vanessa oversees family support center.

2024-08-20 19:53:13 UTC

KY- Sources of Strength (peer lead HM, wellness, and suicide prevention). Relationship Mapping as well.

2024-08-20 19:53:15 UTC

NY - Mentorships, after-school tutoring, bringing in the parents to help them navigate communications with schools, and enrichment activities have been ways to support student attendance for young men of color.

2024-08-20 19:53:28 UTC

Collective impact approach

2024-08-20 19:53:47 UTC

OH - Family and Community Engagement Center - Establishing building level leadership, families and school staff, family engagement cycles. Need a system in place - approach to family engagement that includes courses. No cost for the courses and services provided. Developed with Dept of Ed and Workforce a roadmap, working with local priograms

2024-08-20 19:54:26 UTC

Systems that allow families and CBO partners to access information about attendance in real time (as much as possible)

2024-08-20 19:54:27 UTC

IL - The type of supports a district, school, or community needs depends on where its starting from. At a certain point, things shift from being an attendance issue (you can shift the number by focusing on students) and more of a culture and climate issue (why don't students, particularly certain demographic groups of students) want to be in the building.

2024-08-20 19:55:43 UTC

http://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu

2024-08-20 19:55:45 UTC

Partnering with CBO's to address the barriers already identified, such as transportation or needing expanded learning to meet working hours.

2024-08-20 19:56:21 UTC

2024-08-20 19:58:38 UTC

2024-08-20 19:58:51 UTC

Clear examples for engaging existing groups into the planning and feedback process- consider expanding 'district teams' to community planning teams.

2024-08-20 20:23:51 UTC

Some CBO's have families sign consent forms to access attendance data to ensure students attend during the day in order to do the 'fun stuff' afterschool.