The gap was defined using computer-generated 2016-2017 attendance reports. We disaggregated the excused/unexcused absences reports. While there were no significant differences by grade or gender, there was a significant gap by race. Looking at students with 10 or more unexcused absences, we learned Black students averaged 16.37 unexcused absences, White students averaged 16.95, but Hispanic students averaged 27.03. Improving attendance rates for the target students supported our school’s goal to improve academic performance within subgroups. The Superintendent announced to principals he wanted to increase attendance rates for 2017-2018.



Planning interventions and activities to achieve our goal, we didn’t want to assume we knew the causes of the absences; using best practices, we interviewed stakeholders to gain information—Attendance Clerk, Timeout Room Moderator, Social Worker, Dean of Students, English as a Second Language (ESL) Specialist, Reading Intervention Teacher, two Hispanic students, and a Hispanic parent. The factors stakeholders believe are contributing to high absence rates include parents’ work schedules, lack of knowledge about moving (attendance zones and bus transportation), use of home remedies instead of healthcare system, immigration court appointments, student employment, and undefined district attendance policies. Our best plan of action was building relationships with students and families and providing information in Spanish. We tried to learn about the various cultures and countries the target students represented to guide our interventions.



The data results will help us deliver interventions more effectively because we now realize the power of disaggregating our school’s data. Data made us reassess the ways our counseling program can operate more intentionally to lessen gaps. We’re not sure we’ll be able to measure which of the interventions and activities was the most beneficial. Students and families shared after some of our interventions and activities (see Results Report) that these were some of the first times they’ve felt important and part of the school. We want more non-Hispanic students to get involved with celebrating Hispanic Heritage month in 2018-2019. We’ve planned a daily school-wide quiz. We’ll continue offering interventions throughout the year to reach target students and their families and increase the availability of translated resources.



We’d like to explore whether an increase in the target group’s school attendance resulted in improved test scores and grades. The perception data doesn’t indicate much change between tests; in several instances, there was an increase in negative responses. We’ll use a true/false or yes/no format in the future instead of a 1-5 scale. Because we didn’t translate the pre-test—which we regret—we believe we believe some students’ limited understanding of English led them to simply circle random responses. Modifying Molly Kangas’s 2016 Attendance Counts curriculum (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/) to support the Mindsets and Behaviors (MS&Bs), we created the pre-/post-test and content for the small group.



Using data to target appropriate MS&Bs, we’ll use the perception data and interview responses. We’ll use a pre-/post-test, but will translate it. We’re considering targeting different MS&Bs, such as B-SMS8 (navigating contrasting views held by family and school—returning to school ASAP after being sick) and B-SS1 (how to ask for an excuse note from a judge or court official).



We believe the direct and indirect services offered to support the target students contributed to the decrease in truancy amongst the target students. The rapport built between us and target students resulted in students seeking out counseling services for additional support outside of attendance. Through these relationships, we learned several of the unexcused absences were a result of immigration courts subjectively providing students with excuse notes. Adding general information about court appearances to our attendance presentations may prevent some of these unexcused absences, as families may learn to ask for an excuse note from the court. We also learned several of the absences were the result of a culturally different perspective on healthcare—families don’t always seek a prescription when they’re sick, but instead stay home to rest for several days. This revelation explained why the target students weren’t providing doctors’ notes when they were sick. We’re thinking of ways to collaborate with the school nurse to promote ways students can prevent the spread of germs, stay healthy, and prevent illness. We will continue to collaborate and consult with our ESL specialist and social worker, both of whom speak Spanish. We will try to offer the ESL parent workshop more than once to accommodate more schedules. The small group offered to the target students provided them with a safe space to talk with one another free of judgement and develop relationships with us.

Goal: Attendance and Closing-the-Gap: By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, Hispanic students with 10 or more unexcused absences during the 2016-2017 school year will reduce the number of days absent by at least 20% (from 329 days to 263 days).

Target Group: Hispanic students with 10 or more unexcused absences during the 2016-2017 school year

Data Used to Identify Students: Computer generated attendance report

School Counselor(s): Tristen Bergholtz and Tara Washington

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): Academic: M 6, B-LS 4, B-LS 7, B-SMS 1, B-SMS 6, B-SS 3; Career: M 4, B-LS 7, B-SMS 6; Social/Emotional: M 3, B-LS 7, B-SMS 10

Type of Activities to be Delivered in What Manner?: • School counselors will collaborate with the English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist to provide an Open House in the fall to review school policies and requirements with parents of ESL students • School counselors will collaborate with teachers and administrators to provide a multicultural night for all students and their families to attend and learn more about the diverse cultures of students attending our school • School counselors will partner with the social worker, who speaks Spanish, for direct and indirect services support • The school counselors will increase communication and collaborating with our ESL specialist • The school counselors will invite parents of target group to attend an informational night on the importance of school attendance and partner with our Child Welfare and Attendance representative • The school counselors will build relationships with the target students—not speaking the same language is not a reason for students to go unserved • The school counselors will inform families of the target students of transportation and school attendance zones through translated (as necessary) phone conversations, emails, and letters home • The school counselors will obtain a clear definition of the attendance policy and inform families of the target students of the attendance policy and how this jeopardizes the student’s promotion to the next grade through translated (as necessary) phone conversations, emails, and letters home • The school counselors will initiate the celebration of Hispanic heritage month as a school-wide event during from September 15-October 15 • The school counselors will create and run a multicultural club • The school counselors will run small groups and provide individual counseling for the group of target students in order to engage them in school and the school culture, all in an effort to increase school attendance

Process Data (Number of students affected): The original number of students was 11, but by the end of the 2017-2018 school year only 8 of the 11 students still attended our school. The three students who left moved out of our attendance zone, out-of-state, and out-of-country.

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Target students took a pre-test at the beginning of the school year and completed a post-test at the end of the end of the school year. On a 1-5 scale (1 being poor/low and 5 being good/high), the average response of students to the following statements is as follows: 1) How would you rate your enjoyment of school? Pre-Test: 3.2 Post-Test: 3.63 2) How would you rate your ability to do well in school? Pre-Test: 4 Post-Test: 3.45 3) How would you rate your family’s value of school (does your family feel that it is important for you to attend school)? Pre-Test: 4.7 Post-Test: 4.45 4) How much thought have you given to what you want to be and do in the future? Pre-Test: 4.4 Post-Test: 4.18 5) How would you rate your understanding of what to expect when you get to high school? Pre-Test: 4 Post-Test: 3.63 6) How important do you think an education is for having the life you want in the future? (1 being Not important at all and 5 being Extremely important) Pre-Test: 4.9 Post-Test: 4.9

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): A small group was offered to the target students. In the 6 weeks prior to the small group being offered, there were 49 unexcused absences between the 8 students. During the 6 weeks the small group was offered, there were 25 unexcused absences between the 8 students. This is a 48.98% reduction in absences. The number of unexcused absences for the 8 target students was 75 in the Fall semester of the 2016-2017 school year. In the Fall of of the 2017-2018 school year, the 8 target students only had 52 unexcused absences. By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, the 8 target students earned 135 unexcused absences. At the end of the 2016-2017 school year, the 8 target students earned 208 unexcused absences. This is a 35.1% decrease in the number of unexcused absences.

Implications: The outcome data shows a significant reduction in the number of absences. One thing we would like to explore more is whether or not an increase in school attendance also resulted in improved test scores and grades; we are assuming that is the case, but we did not seek out that information. Throughout the school year, there were significantly fewer unexcused absences compared to the previous year for the target students. The perception data doesn’t indicate much change between the pre- and post-test results; in several instances, there was an increase in negative responses to the statements. We’re not sure if the 1-5 scale was limiting or misunderstood. We will most likely use a true/false or yes/no format in the future. For some reason we were hesitant to translate the pre-test into Spanish at the beginning of the school year. We’re still not sure why we didn’t translate the pre-test as it felt like some students were just circling responses due to a limited understanding of the English language. During the post-test, we allowed students to translate the statements and responses to one another in Spanish as needed. The pre- and post-test questions may have been poorly worded or chosen and will be re-considered. When creating the pre- and post-test and content for the small group, we pulled from Molly Kangas’s 2016 Attendance Counts curriculum which is available through Teachers Pay Teachers. Using Kangas’s resource, we modified it to support the Mindsets and Behaviors selected for the target students. While the process data shows the number of target students dropped, this is because students moved out of our attendance zone—within district but out of our attendance zone, out-of-state, and out-of-country. We believe the direct and indirect services offered to support the target students contributed to the decrease in truancy amongst the target students. Moreover, the rapport built between the school counselors and target students resulted in the students to seek out counseling services for support with issues outside of attendance. Through these relationships, the school counselors learned that several of the unexcused absences were a result of immigration courts providing students with excuse notes in a seemingly biased manner. Adding general information about court dates to our attendance presentations to families and students may prevent some of these unexcused absences as families may learn to ask for an excuse note from the court. The school counselors also learned that several of the absences were the result of a culturally different perspective on healthcare. Many of the target students who immigrated to the U.S. explained that their families don’t seek out healthcare to obtain prescription when they’re sick, but instead stay home to rest for several days. This revelation explained why the target students weren’t providing doctors’ notes to the school when they were sick. The school counselors are thinking of ways to collaborate with the school nurse to promote ways students, especially target students, can prevent the spread of germs, stay healthy, and prevent illness. We will continue to collaborate and consult with our English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist and social worker who both speak Spanish. We will try to offer the ESL parent workshop more than once to try and accommodate more of our families’ schedules. The small group offered to the target students provided them with a safe space to talk with one another free of judgement and develop relationships with the school counselors.

Attachments