Teacher Attendance Manual Training New Attendance Procedure and

Teacher Attendance Manual Training New Attendance Procedure and Teacher Manual

Today’s Presentation What You will Learn About: Chronic Absenteeism; The changes in attendance procedure; How attendance affects your school; How you can help.

Chronic Absenteeism Chronic absenteeism is emerging as an early indicator of future academic difficulty. Children who are chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade are much less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade. If chronic early absence is not addressed at the elementary level, then it may worsen in the higher grades. By sixth grade, chronic absence is a key early indicator of dropout from high school. By ninth grade, attendance may be a better indicator of dropout than eighth-grade test scores. (References available in the Teacher Attendance Manual on the Student Accounting website) To reduce the number of students qualifying as chronically absent, the definition of excused absences is much stricter after a student’s eighth absence (ES/MS) or Trigger Number (HS) (the halfway point to the chronic absenteeism standard). It is, therefore, extremely important that schools monitor absences closely, especially after a student has missed eight days.

Chronic Absenteeism: WCSD Definition The WCSD defines participating in instruction or instruction related activities as completing and turning in make-up work which may include a separate activity such as copying notes from a lecture, making up class work, or another activity, that a teacher deems necessary as an instruction related activity. Students who complete make-up work or instruction related activities will be counted as present.

When is a student labeled a Chronic Absentee? A student who misses 10% or more days of school they are enrolled will be labeled Chronically Absent. This means that students who miss 18 days in 180 school days are Chronically Absent and students who are unexcused for 18 days out of 180 will be retained (ES/MS) or fail the course(s) (HS). If student completes make-up work, the attendance code changes to TEP and it will not count against the student’s retention or failure and Chronic Absenteeism.

Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) Chronic absenteeism is a school quality measure that captures the total percentage of students who are absent for 10% or more of their enrolled days. Chronic absenteeism is a contributor to a school’s star rating, currently between 5% and 10% depending on a school’s level (Elementary, Middle or High). Schools with absenteeism rates between 0% and 3% earn full points for this measure and schools with rates up to 10% earning half the points possible.

Why do we need to take attendance? Taking attendance is the law. NRS 392. 122 requires that the Board make a policy about attendance. The WCSD Board says that students must not be absent 10% or more of school days or they will be retained (ES/MS) or fail the course(s) (HS). The entire attendance policy, WCSD Board Policy 5400, is available on the Student Accounting Department website under Attendance is the shared responsibility and concern of students and parents/guardians with the assistance and support of the school staff. The responsibility for implementing the attendance policy rests with the parent/guardian, student, teacher(s), and school staff.

Teacher Attendance Procedures Teachers are required to record attendance daily in Infinite Campus within the first 15 minutes. ES: both morning and afternoon session MS/HS: each period NOTE: If the student enters class at any time during the period/session, the (A) absent must be changed to (T) Tardy (Unexcused). If the student provides evidence that the missed instruction should be excused (e. g. a pass from the office, counselor, or nurse) the teacher must enter EMI and only EMI in the comments. All other codes are entered in the office. Teachers cannot override codes already entered for the student.

Verify and Maintain Documentation and New Teacher Tool in IC Weekly: Review ASRs in Share. Point to verify student absences. Give any corrections to the office staff and sign the Verification Log. This process is done all year. NEW - Weekly: Update the Teacher Tool in IC. This system is currently being developed at Infinite Campus. The purpose of the Teacher Tool is to make it easy for teachers to check off Yes or No if a student that was absent completed and returned their make-up work within the timeline. Teacher Tool is expected to be released July 2018. It will basically show students name, dates absent and Yes or No boxes. Once the Teacher Tool has been released we will add instructions to this Power. Point. Keep a record of student assignments, including using the correct date the assignment was made/returned in IC. This can be an important resource during an audit.

Attendance Procedures. Teacher Attendance and Teacher Tool School office staff will use the Infinite Campus Classroom Monitor daily and Teacher Tool Monitor weekly to track teacher attendance and make-up work. Staff will notify teachers who have not completed attendance or updating the Teacher Tool. Teachers can modify attendance throughout the school day but cannot edit or take attendance for previous or future school days.

Make-up Work, Exams and Quizzes Students will be provided the opportunity to request and complete missed make-up work, exams and quizzes regardless of the reason for the absence from class/period for any number of absences and for any reason, including missed instruction (excused or unexcused), truancies, and suspensions. Activities that are participatory and contributive in nature may be difficult to make up and alternative tasks need to be provided such as; copying notes from a lecture or another activity that a teacher deems necessary as an instruction related activity. It is the student's responsibility to abide by the school/teacher's procedures on how to request this work. It is the teacher's responsibility to provide the requested make-up work within two days of the student's return to class. The student will have the number of days absent plus one starting the day the work was provided to the student to return the work.

Make-up Work, Exams and Quizzes When make-up work is returned to the teacher within the timeline, the teacher will update the Teacher Tool in IC weekly marking students that have/have not completed and returned their make-up work. (Teacher Tool is expected to be released July 2018). For the students who have completed and returned their make-up work, the attendance code will be changed to TEP and the absence will not count against retention or failure and will not count against Chronic Absenteeism. All absences where make-up work is not completed and returned will count toward the student’s Chronic Absenteeism. Students must be retained/fail the course if they are absent 10% or more of school days.

Benefits of Giving, Completing and Returning Make-Up Work It is beneficial for teachers to give students that were absent their make-up work even if the student does not request it. The school’s star rating will increase when students complete and return their make-up work and the attendance code changes to TEP and it will not count against the student’s retention or failure and Chronic Absenteeism. The student will be counted as present.

Teacher Communication Each teacher should communicate regularly with the student and his/her parent/guardian as well as the school administration about concerns regarding the student's attendance record. Teachers must indicate on academic warning notices, progress reports, and/or report card information regarding absences that my and may not impact student’s progress. If the student misses 10% or more of school days after progress reports, the teacher must notify the parent(s) in writing that the student is failing due to attendance.

Retain Student: ES/MS The student must be retained if the student has missed 10% or more unexcused school days. The teacher must contact the student and parent/guardian in writing regarding attendance concerns well in advance of this consequence. Appeals for retention due to attendance must be made to the principal.

Fail Course: HS The student will fail a course if the student has missed 10% or more unexcused school days. The teacher must contact the student and parent/guardian in writing regarding attendance concerns well in advance of this consequence. Appeal for class failure due to attendance must be made to the principal.

Teacher Attendance Manual For the entire Teacher Attendance Manual go to: WCSD website>Departments>Student Accounting>Attendance> Teacher Attendance Manual. Got Questions? See site administrator for school’s expectation on making up missed work. Thank You! Have a wonderful school year!