Strategies to Reduce Chronic Absence
Effective Strategies and Interventions
Successfully reducing chronic absenteeism and improving school attendance requires a team approach, engaging the whole school community in the effort, and persistence in continuous learning and improvement. Selecting the evidenced-based tiered supports and interventions to implement is also critically important.
RESOURCE
REL West’s evidenced-based improvement framework can be a helpful tool in considering the most appropriate strategies for your school/district/charter network.
The first step is to use the identified root causes to inform possible choices for interventions that will match specific needs. As discussed prior, knowing the root causes of students missing school in your local context is a key step in the data analysis that must happen to inform strategies implemented to improve attendance.
After doing a root cause analysis, the next step is to select interventions to address the specific and multiple needs identified.
Exploring Options: Tiered Strategies That Work
Foundational Support and School-wide Strategies
Tier 1 strategies target all students regardless of attendance status. These efforts focus on prevention strategies and creating positive engagement for all students.
- Effective, positive, and regular communication and outreach to parents
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Educate families on the importance of attendance and its connection to achievement
- Text message from teacher
- Personalized postcards to families each quarter about attendance
- Phone calls
- Personalized attendance related messages to parents via text day of or day after students are absent
Strong
Light
SpotlightWindow Rock Unified School District teachers reach out to parents on a regular basis to share only positive aspects about their student.
Personalized outreach by phone call after two absences in the Washington Elementary School District reduced chronic absence significantly in one year.
Several personalized text messaging strategies in districts across the country have shown strong evidence of reducing chronic absence; learn more.
- Intentional and strategic family engagement
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- New year orientations with attendance expectations
- Workshops for parents
- Home visits for all students to build trust and relationships with families
- Invite parents to school for projects, relevant events, etc.
- Engage parents in problem solving school challenges via committees, etc.
Promising
Medium to Heavy
SpotlightParent education workshops provided by All In Education Parent Educator Academy in the Roosevelt School District educated and engaged parents. As a result, family engagement, authentic connection, and partnership between schools and families improved.
Studies show that the Parent Teacher Home Visits model improves relationships between schools and parents resulting in better academic and behavior outcomes for students. The program was found to reduce chronic absence and increase math and ELA scores.
- Prioritizing teacher-student relationships, and connections to a caring adult in school
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Before school-year personalized connection from teacher to student
- Teacher mindset and practices prioritize relationships so that students feel respected and supported
- Build connection through friendly greetings and messages to students that lets them know you’re glad they’re here, ask about day, missed them when they were absent, etc.
- Positive classroom management strategies
- Relationship mapping to ensure every student has relationship with one caring adult
- Keeping students and teachers together for more than one year, known as “looping”
Promising to Strong
Light to Medium
SpotlightTanque Verde School District mapped the existing relationships of individual students to ensure that there was at least one caring adult for every student. Chronic absence has decreased throughout the district.
Evidence indicates that the BARR model used in high schools across the country has worked to improve attendance. High school freshmen are placed together in small groups for English, math, social studies, and science classes. Teachers receive professional development on using relationships with students to enhance achievement.
Through “positive greetings at the door” engagement for Minnesota middle school students studied increased 20%.
- Relevant and engaging instruction and curriculum
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Instruction is challenging but not overwhelming
- Student work is displayed
- Student-centered and project-based learning
- Youth voice initiatives
- Teachers show students how learning is connected to their lives
- Provide STEM and career-focused opportunities
Promising
Medium
SpotlightWindow Rock School District provided teacher training and support to make their instruction more engaging and relevant for students. Attendance has improved in elementary, middle, and high schools.
School districts throughout Pima County have partnered with CommunityShare.org to provide student-centered instruction and project-based learning. As a result, 96% of educators reported significantly increased student engagement.
- Expanded learning opportunities
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Provide a variety of afterschool and enrichment activities that cater to diverse student interests
- Summer learning and youth programs
Promising to Strong
Medium
SpotlightTanque Verde Unified School District has prioritized extracurricular activities and tracked student involvement, with the district successfully reducing chronic absence.
Summer “social belonging orientations” for middle school students transitioning to high school had 46% fewer unexcused absences than students who only received a “business as usual” orientation to high school.
- Routines, rituals and celebrations related to attendance and engagement
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Recognition and rewards of good and improved attendance, evidence suggests that focusing on perfect attendance as an incentive can have negative effects.
- Create friendly competitions between classrooms, grade levels, schools, etc.
Promising
Light
SpotlightBuckeye Elementary School District has a district-wide competition to celebrate and reward classrooms and individual student attendance monthly, and teacher attendance by semester. Chronic absence rates have decreased at five schools.
- Restorative behavior and discipline practices
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Replace out-of-school suspensions with restorative practices
- Adopt a whole-school approach to restorative practices that center on communication, empathy, responsibility, restoration, and understanding how one’s actions affect others
Promising to Moderate
Medium
SpotlightTucson Unified School District uses a variety of restorative practices such as small group restorative circles, formal restorative conferences to resolve serious behavior problems, and de-escalation strategies.
Arizona K12 Center provides “restorative 101” resources.
Page Unified School District uses restorative discipline as a whole school, relational approach to building school climate and addressing student behavior that fosters belonging over exclusion, social engagement over control, and meaningful accountability over punishment.
Safer-Saner Schools is a restorative whole school change model proven to reduce chronic absence.
Second Step is a curriculum proven to improve attendance that teaches students empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management.
- Developing a community school model or strengthening services relevant for students and families provided on campus
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
Wrap-around services and supports provided at school:
- Early childhood program
- Parenting classes
- Job training and employment services
- Financial and tax assistance
- Health and mental health services; access to telehealth
- Clothing, food, other emergency assistance
- Laundry
- Free meals
- Technology support for families
Strong
Medium to Heavy
SpotlightThe Vitalyst Foundation reported on Arizona’s Community Schools which provide a range of services and supports. Flowing Wells Unified School District in Tucson provides a family resource center model with utility assistance programs, assistance with applying for college, bankruptcy assistance, tax assistance, mental health services, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, job training programs, clothing and food programs.
O.C. Johnson Elementary School in Yuma piloted a community school model with on-site preschool, family support and education programs, 5-day a week health clinic, food bank, and employment services.
Exploring Options: Tiered Strategies That Work
Targeted Support Strategies for Students at Greater Risk of Chronic Absence
Tier 2 interventions target students who are close to (7%-9% missed) or already missing 10% of the school year. Tier 2 interventions can be offered to individual students or students in small groups with similar circumstances.
- Personalized communication and outreach to students and families to address attendance
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Early outreach in first months of school, conversation with students and families from a parent representative, teacher, principal, school social worker or counselor to address attendance
- Targeted virtual or in-person family home visit to address attendance issues
Strong
Light to Medium
SpotlightHead Start programs throughout Arizona conduct home visits for children who are chronically absent and have worked to improve attendance for pre-k students.
The LEAP home visiting program addresses student absence, builds relationships, and has reduced chronic absence in Connecticut.
The Early Truancy Prevention Program was the first home visiting program to reduce chronic absenteeism by 10% in the primary grades for children in high-poverty districts.
- Individual student support
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Individualized success plan that addresses barriers to attendance with specific goals, incentivize improved attendance
- Individual behavioral and daily check-in support strategies, such as Check In/Check Out or having an attendance buddy
- Mental health services as needed
- Tutoring or mentoring as needed
Strong
Medium
SpotlightCity of Phoenix Head Start uses Attendance Works success plans to target students at risk for chronic absence and meets with families to discuss and create plans. Attendance improved for students.
Check & Connect is a proven mentoring strategy to reduce chronic absence for at-risk students.
Check In/Check Out (CICO) is a popular Tier 2 intervention that promotes postive behavior.
- Early warning and intervention systems
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Identifies students at-risk for not graduating high school and assigns interventions
Strong
Heavy
SpotlightDiplomas Now, developed at Johns Hopkins University, saw a 33 percent reduction in the number of chronically absent students across 32 struggling urban secondary schools in 11 school districts.
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) Early Warning and Monitoring System was shown to significantly lower chronic absence after one year of implementation in grades 9 and 10.
- Common community and school barriers to attendance identified and supports provided
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
Troubleshooting issues with:
- Transportation with new school bus routes, public transit passes, carpool/ridesharing app, a safer walk/route to school
- Food insecurity
- Clean school clothes
- Childcare for younger siblings
- Eldercare for older family members
- Relevant health supports such as addressing asthma and issues for students with disabilities
- Mental health services
Strong
Medium
SpotlightAvondale Elementary School District administrators realized there was a high rate of absences at one housing complex. They worked with the housing provider to take attendance at the bus stop and knock on doors of kids who weren’t there. They created a display with flags for each family and tied ribbons to the flags if they had perfect attendance each week. Attendance improved significantly.
Students in the Baboquivari School District can do laundry and shower at school if needed.
Chicago Safe Passage program reduces chronic absence by providing a positive, trusted adult presence for students as they travel to and from school.
The Walking School Bus is a method used across the country that has reduced chronic absence for students needing a safer route to school.
The KIPP Harmony Academy charter school in Baltimore identified that asthma was a primary cause of absence for students. After providing health services at school, they saw a 23% drop in chronic absence.
- Small group interventions for students with similar circumstances
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Small group counseling for students with anxiety
- Small group mentoring around attendance and engagement
- Breakfast or lunch clubs to promote relationships
- Targeted supports for English language learners, immigrant and refugee populations
- Targeted youth engagement opportunities that promote problem solving, self-control, emotional regulation and stronger self-identification as a learner
Promising to Strong
Medium to Heavy
SpotlightSuccess Mentors is a national data-driven an evidenced-based mentor model proven to reduce chronic absence.
Positive Action builds life skills and character education and has reduced chronic absence. Positive Action stresses a self-concept curriculum, getting along with others, and self-management.
Exploring Options: Tiered Strategies That Work
Intensive Interventions For Students Who Are Severely Chronically Absent
Tier 3 interventions target students who are close to or already missing 20% of the school year. Tier 3 interventions are intensive, individualized to specific student circumstances, and may take a case-management approach.
- Individualized supports
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Do one or more home visits to further investigate and understand the problem.
- Individualized learning and success plan that is developed with student and family
- Educational support champions/advocates
- Tailored physical and mental health supports
- 1:1 tutoring or mentoring
Emerging to Promising
Medium to Heavy
SpotlightFosterEd identifies an “education champion” for students in Pima, Maricopa, and Yavapai counties who are in the child welfare and justice systems to coordinate work with students and families. Attendance improved significantly.
- Interagency case management and access to intensive services, resources, and supports
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Connect to social worker and other relevant support staff to provide needed resources for families
- Work with community partners to provide access to housing stability supports, and use McKinney-Vento services and Homeless Liaison to address chronic absence for homeless students
- Connect to school nurse and other health resources/services for students dealing with chronic illness
Promising
Medium to Heavy
SpotlightRoosevelt School District has started a “closed loop” referral system for breaking down barriers to needed services.
Communities in Schools offers a model for encouraging interagency collaboration and has improved attendance for elementary school students.
AZ Head Start caseworker model addresses coordination with services to address barriers to attendance. Maricopa County Head Start broke down barriers to housing for families which improved attendance by collaborating with local community action and housing agencies.
The SchoolHouse Connection provides resources and support for schools to work effectively with homeless students.
- Legal intervention for truancy (as a last resort)
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Example practicesEvidence levelCapacity level required to implement
- Have appropriate school personnel refer the student and family to applicable legal intervention.
N/A
Heavy
SpotlightLitchfield Elementary School District implemented the C.U.T.S. (Court Unified Truancy Suppression) Program in partnership with Maricopa County Juvenile Probation. If a student has five or more unexcused absences or over eighteen excessive absences (excused and/or unexcused), the student can be cited to the C.U.T.S. Program through the Juvenile Court which works with families to ensure students attend school regularly.
Evidence-Based Attendance Programs
These specific programs for improving attendance and reducing chronic absence meet the rigorous national ESSA evidence standards.
Programs listed in Evidence for ESSA include evidence rating, grade level appropriateness, and more information to help determine the fit given your local context, with key considerations such as staffing, technology, training, and cost requirements needed to implement the intervention.
- Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System (EWIMS)
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
The EWIMS model is intended to help schools efficiently use data to both identify the at-risk population and provide targeted support, strengthening student persistence and progress in school and ultimately improving on-time graduation rates. Learn more
Strong
9-10
- EveryDay Intervention
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
After establishing a district partnership and securely receiving attendance data, EveryDay Intervention (formerly InClassToday) runs analyses to identify students who are at risk of being chronically absent and most likely to benefit from the program and delivers personalized absence reports to parents and guardians with actionable information about their student’s attendance. Learn more
Strong
K-12
- Positive Action - Attendance
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
Positive Action is a whole-school reform strategy designed to improve social-emotional, attendance, and achievement outcomes by building school climate, self-control, goal-setting, problem-solving, persistence, and other skills. Learn more
Strong
K-8
- Future Forward Literacy - Attendance
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
Future Forward (formerly SPARK) is an early literacy intervention that provides a support system for kindergarten through third grade students struggling with reading that integrates one-on-one tutoring and family engagement. Students assigned to the program had significantly fewer absences. Learn more
Strong
K-3
- PowerSchool Unified Operations Attendance Intervention Suite
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
PowerSchool Unified Operations Attendance Intervention Suite (formerly Kinvolved) gives educators the tools to improve attendance by identifying root causes and providing actionable attendance data and real-time family communication. Learn more
Promising
6-12
- Parent Teacher Home Visits - Attendance
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
The Parent Teacher Home Visits model was co-created by parents and educators and encourages relationship-building and ongoing communication. Participating teachers conduct short home visits in which they listen, ask questions, and make observations to improve instruction for the learner. Learn more
Promising
1-5
- Absenteeism and Truancy: Interventions and Universal Procedures
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
ATI-UP is a preventive, school-wide intervention that has school teams following a multi-tiered, multi-system framework to instill a positive social climate in which attendance expectations are directly taught to the students, consistently acknowledged, and actively monitored. These systems incorporate a problem-solving team, a parental/community engagement component, promotion of attendance in school, and motivation for improvements in behavior. Learn more
Promising
K-6
- Talent Development High School - Attendance
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
The Talent Development High School is a program that provides schools with professional development to implement comprehensive approaches to improve achievement and attendance for 9th graders in high-poverty urban schools. Learn more
Promising
9
- SaferSanerSchools Whole-School Change
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
SaferSanerSchools™ is a comprehensive restorative practices program for school staff to increase their understanding of how one’s actions affect others and create a better school climate. Learn more
Promising
K-12
- Second Step - Attendance
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DescriptionEvidence levelGrades Studied
Second Step is a violence prevention curriculum designed to teach elementary students social skills and how to respond to others in nonviolent ways. Fear of victimization at school and poor school climate have negative impacts on school attendance, so such violence prevention programs are expected to have positive effects on attendance. Learn more
Promising
1
Attendance Playbook
Attendance Work’s Attendance Playbook is another highly-recommended resource to use in your process of identifying attendance interventions that may be appropriate and effective for your school, district, or charter network. It includes evidenced-based interventions geared for post-pandemic school climates that address whole-school and all student solutions, as well as Tier 2 and 3 supports based on students’ attendance status. Attendance Works also developed an implementation guide to assist users.
Further Considerations
After exploring options for tiered supports, determining the fit of interventions is key. You need to examine the alignment of the prior outcomes achieved by an intervention with the demographic and needs of your students and local context. Further, you must consider if capacity building is needed and what must be in place to be able to implement the strategy (staff, budget, resources).
Some questions to consider are:
- Does this strategy fit our specific needs and is it possible given our constraints?
- Can we implement with fidelity to get the intended outcomes?
- What do we need to have in place before we begin implementing the strategies to be successful?
You should also determine how you will analyze outcomes to see if the interventions are working. Gauging impact in measurable ways is essential. Consider what data you will need to collect to know if strategies are working to reduce chronic absence.
RESOURCE
REL West’s Applicability of Evidenced-based Intervention tool can be helpful in examining interventions for fit and feasibility.
Which Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports would you like to try at your school? What existing supports are working? What gaps need to be addressed with new strategies?
Tanque Verde Unified School District
Tanque Verde Unified School District (TVUSD) took a three-fold approach to create solutions to address the root causes of chronic absence. The first element they chose to focus on was building more academically engaging classrooms. Superintendent Scott Hagerman created a model based on the Engagement by Design work from Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey. Hagerman shared, “Teachers focus on building inviting classrooms where instruction is challenging enough so that it is not boring, but not too challenging so it’s overwhelming.” Collaboration is key to their approach. Teachers meet regularly to share expertise, learning and working together to improve their own teaching skills and to improve outcomes for students. Schools put data into action to drive student learning. In their PK-6 elementary schools a strategy called WIN is used. WIN is an acronym for “What I Need.” For 40 minutes each day, students break into groups based on their progress and receive support and enrichment from a teacher in their grade-level.
The second element TVUSD zeroed in on was recognizing the importance of positive relationships and strengthening the connection of students and their families to their school. The district trained staff, sports participants, and clubs on how to ensure everyone is respected, affirmed, and included. School leaders and educators built in things like small group lunches with students, taking the time to create connections between adults and students, and strengthening student-to-student relationships, which enhanced the student’s view of belonging to their class. Hagerman said, “You have to create a system and a culture where the entire school community focuses on building relationships. This takes ongoing work.”
Finally, the district prioritized extracurricular programs knowing that participation in clubs and afterschool activities can often draw students to come to school. The district tracks student involvement in extracurriculars, identifying which students are not involved. Counselors meet with students, do an interest inventory, and barriers to involvement are worked out. Students’ untapped interests can generate new clubs and experiences for themselves and other students. Through positive extracurricular experiences, students have more opportunities to pursue personal interests and to feel connected to their peers and caring adults at school.
The district has reduced chronic absence significantly, with one TVUSD elementary school’s rate going from 13.5% down to 4.8% from 2018-2021, and attributes this as a key factor in the 20% average increase in their third grade ELA scores.
Resources
U.S. Department of Education Approaches to Root Cause Analysis resources
Understanding Common Causes of Absence worksheet from Attendance Works
Examples of Tiered Practices from Attendance Works
Attendance Pyramid Worksheet from Attendance Works
IES REL Tools to support selection of evidenced-based strategies
A Multi-Tiered Approach to Reducing Chronic Absence in Elementary School
Research and Practices to Reduce High School Chronic Absenteeism