Transforming Attendance: How Alvord Unified Empowers Students and FamiliesIn my role as Assistant Director of Student Services, I've learned that the most crucial factor in improving student attendance isn't about policies or procedures–it's about connections. Our district serves a diverse community of hardworking families, including many newcomer families. We've faced our share of challenges, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we're making strides by focusing on what matters most: our students and their families.

Unlocking Student Success Through Meaningful Engagement

Operationalizing Strategic Goals for Attendance

In Alvord Unified, we've learned that operationalizing our strategic goals around attendance isn't just about setting targets–it's about creating systems that foster meaningful engagement. By focusing on building strong school-home connections, we're not only improving attendance rates, but also driving improved student outcomes across the board. Our approach demonstrates that when we align our daily operations with our broader strategic vision, we can create a school environment where every student is empowered to succeed.

Navigating the Pandemic's Impact on Attendance

Before the pandemic, our district maintained a respectable 95 percent attendance rate, with chronic absenteeism hovering between 12 percent and 14 percent–on par with surrounding districts and national averages. However, when COVID-19 hit, we saw our chronic absenteeism spike to 25 to 30 percent, mirroring the struggles faced by districts nationwide. The pandemic created an opportunity for a new approach to attendance management, as it became clear that we needed a more comprehensive and personalized strategy to support our students and families.

Leveraging Technology for Attendance Transformation

As we emerged from the pandemic, we decided to implement SchoolStatus as our attendance management system. This move wasn't just about tracking numbers; it was about transforming how we approach attendance altogether. SchoolStatus has become an integral part of our attendance strategy, automating our attendance tracking and generating real-time reports that allow us to identify trends and at-risk students quickly. By providing clear, actionable data, our staff can now focus their energy on the students and families who need the most support, initiating meaningful, personalized interventions.

Prioritizing Personal Connections

Personal connections are the cornerstone of our attendance strategy. The efficiency gained through having a comprehensive attendance management solution has allowed us to shift our focus from managing paperwork to managing relationships. Our staff can now spend their time having those crucial conversations with families, understanding their unique situations, and working together to find solutions that work for everyone. Initiatives like our "Community Connection Days" further strengthen our community ties, demonstrating our commitment to engagement that drives improved student outcomes.

Achieving Tangible Results

Our efforts are paying off. In the 2021-2022 school year, our P2 report (which determines funding based on average daily attendance) came in at 91.5 percent. The following year, we hit 93.15 percent–an improvement of over 1.5 percentage points. As we continue to operationalize our strategic goals, we're setting ambitious targets and implementing comprehensive measures to achieve them, including securing a $9.5 million Community Schools Grant, implementing a district-wide Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and expanding our Saturday School programs.

Fostering a Sense of Belonging

At the end of the day, what matters most is that every student feels they belong in our school community. It's not just about getting kids in seats; it's about creating an environment where they want to be. As educators, our job is to genuinely care about each student's success and to make sure that care is felt by both the students and their families. By focusing on meaningful engagement that drives improved student outcomes, we're transforming how we approach education in Alvord Unified.