9/22/2017

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Attendance: The Journey of One High School

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PaTTAN’s Mission

The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special

education services.

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PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Our goal for each child is to ensureIndividualized Education Program (IEP)

teams begin with the generaleducation setting with the use ofSupplementary Aids and Services

before considering amore restrictive environment.

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Learning Intentions

• Participants will be able to explain the difference between chronic absence, truancy, and average daily attendance.

• Participants will become familiar with, and be able to discuss, a Multi-Tiered System of Support for Attendance.

• Participants will explore strategies to engage families and the community in increasing awareness of the importance of attendance.

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What is Attendance Works?

• Is a national and state initiative that promotes awareness of the important role attendance plays in achieving academic success

• 3 Focus Areas for AttendanceBuild public awareness and political willFoster state campaignsEncourage local practice

Key Indicators that Predict Student Success

1. Attendance

2. Behavior

3. Course Performance

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What is Chronic Absence?

• Different from truancy or average daily attendance (how many students show up to school each day) • Attendance Works defines chronic absence as missing 10% or more of school for ANY reason

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Identifying Students Off Track for Graduation

• Attendance issues often begin in Pre-K and Kindergarten. Begin monitoring chronic absences early!

• Use existing data to identify students that are off track.

• Implement an Early Warning System (EWS).

Purposes of an Early Warning System (EWS)

• Help schools organize, examine, analyze, and share data related to school completion

• Support schools in identifying needs and developing a local intervention plan… and later, in implementing and evaluating the plan

• Help schools identify at-risk students and their potential needs for additional supports and tiered interventions

How do we Implement an Early Warning System?

1. Develop or adopt an EWS data collection system 2.Determine on-track and off-track criteria for high school graduation

3. Monitor attendance data 4.Monitor behavior data (i.e., school code of conduct and state offenses).

5.Monitor academic performance quarterly (course failures in English Language Arts and mathematics and credit accrual)

6.Identify and monitor students who are retained in ninth grade

(Revised from www.betterhighschools.org)

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Metrics

Early Warning System – Example PDE Educators Dashboard

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Tiered Approach for Attendance

Tiered Approach for Attendance

Tier 3

Tier 2

Tier 1

• Check and Connect or Mentor Program • Truancy Elimination Plans (Attendance Success Plans) • Home Visits • Intensive Case Management with coordination of public agency and legal response as needed

• Check In and Check Out or provide a mentor to check in with students • Provide personalized early outreach to identify barriers/problem solve solutions • Meet with families to create attendance plan

• Recognize good and improved attendance on a weekly/monthly basis • Survey students for reinforcers • Monitor attendance and set schoolwide goals (create a campaign within the school and community) • Educate students and families about the importance of attendance (website, social media messages, posters, newsletters, trainings) • Identify and address common barriers to getting to school • Establish a positive and engaging school climate (PBIS is an eventual goal) • Attendance Director will make visits to elementary and middle schools to spread attendance awareness with students, teachers, and families • Share PaTTAN Attendance/Family Engagement publications on website and school office

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Teaching Attendance Toolkit

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Teaching Attendance 2.0 Video

• Watch the video

• What are two key takeaways from the video?

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Create a Welcoming Environment

Strategy 1: Motivate students to attend by forging positive relationships with each student and family.

Strategy 2: Engage in effective attendance messaging

Strategy 3: Recognize good and IMPROVED attendance

Strategy 4: Emphasize attendance at strategic points throughout the year. 20

Engage Families at Parent-Teacher or Student-Led Conferences

• Talking about attendance during meetings and conferences should be as routine as talking about academics or behavior

• Great opportunity to establish ongoing two-way communication with families about their child’s attendance habits

• Inform families about resources and programs that promote attendance

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Use Data to Ensure Early Intervention

Strategy 1: Monitor chronic absence data

Strategy 2: Consider needed support

Strategy 3: Review available resources

Strategy 4: Connect with families

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Advocate for a School-Wide Approach to Attendance

School-wide Attendance Incentives

• Avoid recognizing only perfect • Ask students what they consider attendance…also reward to be meaningful incentives improved attendance

• Reward timeliness as well…not • Part of a comprehensive approach

just showing up to school!

• Helps to create a school-wide culture of attendance

• Reinforce families as well as students (food baskets, transportation passes, etc.)

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Attendance Campaigns

• http://absencesaddup.org/

• Attendance Works promotional materials

Set School-Wide Attendance Goals

Family Engagement Materials

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PaTTAN Publications

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Recursos en Español

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PaTTAN Resources

• www.pattan.net

• Under “Educational Initiatives” click on “Increasing Graduation Rates and Decreasing Dropout Rates”

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Implementing and Maintaining Attendance at the High School Level

October 17, 2017

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Attendance Works Free Webinars

• Archived Free Webinars – Ensuring an Equal Opportunity to Learn – Collective Action: Taking a Cross-Sector Approach – Using Data to Drive Action: Portraits of Chronic Absence – Motivating Good Attendance All Year Long – School Every Day: What Effective Principals Do to Improve School Attendance – Portraits of Change: Aligning School and Community Resources to Reduce Chronic Absence – Others

Activity: Fill Out Your Own Pyramid

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Who We Are The Albert Gallatin School District is a large, rural area consisting of 144 square miles in Southwestern Pa, Fayette County.

Our regional population is 23,995 (2013 Census) Current enrollment 3,437 students. 702 students with IEP s.

Albert Gallatin Senior High School Grades : 9th 12th

Principal : Mr. Jason Hutchinson

Assistant Principals: Mrs. Lara BezjakMr. Brian Reams

Teaching Staff: 67 teachers

Student Population: 1,113

Students with IEP s: 267

SSIP Team

Teachers from each grade level

Special Education Teachers

Positive Behavior Support Specialist

Attendance Off cer

Principal

Who makes up the high school team?

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Initial Training October 2015 Initial team members participated in a full day training conducted by Middle School Dashboard team. Training included: Introduction to what a SSIP team is and expectations Introduction to the Dashboard system Description of early warning indicators and at risk identification Meeting with our PaTTAN representative to review website and resources

Planning StagesSSIP Theory of Action VisionAll students with disabilities will be academically, behaviorally, and socially economically engaged in order to stay in school, graduate, and become contributing members of society.

Seven Coherent Improvement Strategies Strategy 1: Early Warning Systems Strategy 2: MTSS Academic Strategy 3: MTSS Behavior Strategy 4: Attendance Strategies and Alternative Programming Strategy 5: Culturally Responsive Practices Strategy 6: Family Engagement Strategy 7: Secondary Transition

Planning Stages November 2015 Full day meeting with the Middle School staff

Reviewed the 7 Coherent Improvement Strategies.

All sites were required to implement an Early Warning System (Strategy 1). Using this system, data will be analyzed to select further interventions from the 6 other Coherent Improvement Strategies.

Discussed successful interventions the middle school sites have put in place and reviewed intervention catalog to determine what we currently have in place and what resources we can access.

Brainstormed ideas as to what we as a team view as successful SSIP implementation.

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Planning Stages January 2016 half day training with PaTTAN representative Developed timeline for meetings (25 minutes) 5 minutes team overview 15 minutes discuss students 5 minutes next steps/announcements

Established team member roles which included: Support List Provider Facilitator Time Keeper Recorder

Core team meetings organizing/keeping track of student data, watch lists, rotating roles

Example

Brandon (SwenglishCase Manager)

Course Per ormance

Fa ng grades Meet ng w th ather and a teacherspu ng out o Tech not mak ng the e orthas 2 weeks to br ng up gradesreg ster ng or tutor ng n Eng sh and Math can go on an as needed bas s to make up any m ss ng ass gnments

Sweng sh Next 2 weeks March 2(had meet ng w th ather and teachers today)

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Interventions we have in place

Attendance

Truancy Elimination Plan

Parent meetings

Crime Victim Center

Children and Youth Services

Chestnut Ridge

SAP

Drug and Alcohol

Teen Outreach

Citations

Behavior

Positive Behavior Support

Social Worker

SAP

Office referrals

Coaches keep athletes in check

Adelphoi

East Franklin

Course Performance

Tutoring

Resource Room

Case managers conduct progress monitoring

Possible interventions to add

Attendance

Rewards for attendance

Check in – check out

Communities & Schools

Behavior

Check in – check out

Mentor program

Behavior Contract

Course Performance

Study Hall

Credit recovery opportunities

Mentor program

Check in – check out

Designated time/place for make up work

Stricter academic eligibility requirements for athletics

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Data Review Totals for initial data report sent to PaTTAN, January 2016 225 students at the high school level were identified as receiving Special Education Services (21% of total population). 199 of those 225 students were enrolled at the high school. 53 students were identified as failing at least 1 indicator. 21 flagged for attendance, 8 for behavior, 26 flagged for math, and 8 flagged for ELA.

SSIP team met and reviewed all data submitted to PaTTAN. Using data, students with high priority were flagged first. It was determined we would target attendance and math.

Development of Initial Watch List Watch list of Special Education students was developed using data compiled from attendance, behavior, and course grades. Reviewed team meeting expectations and how a plan is developed for each student. Developed a plan for each flagged student and a mentor was assigned. Prior to meeting with all flagged students two additional team meetings took place. Goal starting small to achieve greater success.

Connecting with StudentsMarch 2016 Meeting with flagged students Due to time constraints, the team developed a list of 5 questions to be asked of each student as a guide to keep the meetings on track. Met with 18 of the 49 students on our flagged list. All 18 were asked the series of 5 questions.

Tell us why you think you are struggling academically/attendance/behavior?

What tools can we provide for you to be successful?

Are you currently utilizing the tutoring program?

Is there a teacher in this building that you are comfortable talking to?

What can we do as a team to help you?

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Check and Connect Training April 2016 Team members attended a two day training relating to implementing Check and Connect. Check and Connect is a structured mentoring intervention to promote student success and engagement at school and with learning through relationship building and systematic use of data. Not a new program. Model was developed in the early 90 s in response to a disproportionate number of students in special education not completing high school. Mentor Check Connect Engagement with families

2015-16 DataWhat it looked like in January compared to June

199 199

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2021108 5

2668 12 0

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50

100

150

200

250

January June

# of Special Ed

Failing atleast 1indicator

Attendance

Behavior

Math

ELA

2016-17 School Year September 2016 6 new mentors were selected for the SSIP Team for the 2016 17 school year to bring the total number of mentors for this school year to 13. New mentors included two Special Education teachers, three additional grade level teachers, and the Social Worker. Each mentor participated in a two day Check and Connect training at the high school with Shanna Bradfield, PaTTAN Using our current Dashboard list, 18 students were selected and assigned a mentor.

September/October 2016 Began roll out of Check and Connect to 18 selected students.

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2016-17 School Year The team brainstormed incentive ideas to increase attendance and also activities to increase family engagement. (Strategy 4 & 6)

A student survey was developed in order to gauge student views on what incentives they felt were conducive in rewarding good attendance.

Students responses on a list of incentives were tallied and reviewed by the SSIP team.

2016-17 Goals Attendance Target attendance; increasing attendance rate to increase course grades

Implement a Check and Connect system for all flagged students. Resource/Intervention period established for case managers to meet with all students on their caseloads as needed. Roll out PDE Dashboard to all high school staff.

2016-17 School Year Attendance, Behavior and Course grades were tracked throughout the year. Mentors met with assigned students regularly and SSIP team met bi weekly to review data and discuss progress of flagged Check and Connect group. Direct correlation throughout the year with attendance and course grades.

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Attendance State requirements Act 138 Meeting with student and/or parent is required after 3 unexcused absences

Truancy Elimination Plan Stages of plan (meeting with attendance officer, principal, family contact, etc. ) Pennsylvania School Attendance Improvement and Truancy Reduction Toolkit

Obstacles we encounter with attendance Family engagement and attendance

Community Action work program

Attendance How does attendance directly impact student grades?

Missing direct

instruction and

assignments

Falls behind in core subjects

Does not complete make up work

Testing unprepared

Low or failing grades

StudentAbsence

2016-17 Data

199

5744

14 1792822

319

14 10

50

100

150

200

250

January June

# of Special Ed

Failing atleast 1indicatorAttendance

Behavior

Math

ELA

Both

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2017-18 School Year 7 new mentors were trained to join the SSIP team for this school year; bringing the total SSIP team members to 20.

With the increase in trained mentors, the team will be able to target additional flagged students to receive Check and Connect services.

Ongoing attendance issues will be addressed and prioritized.

Attendance Awareness Campaign School wide monthly campaign to increase and promote school attendance

Link on district website regarding attendance and truancy

Video

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Questions and Answers

Contact Information www.pattan.net

Albert Gallatin High SchoolJason HutchinsonJason.Hutchinson@agasd.org

Joyce KurnotJoyce.Kurnot@agasd.org

Gary SerockGary.Serock@agasd.org

PaTTAN PittsburghShanna Bradfield, M.Ed. sbradfield@pattan.net

Commonwea th of Pennsy van aTom Wo Governor

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