EDUCATION
INCENTIVIZING ATTENDANCE
“These fun activities are used as a celebration for everyone who is in attendance on any given day,” Armstrong said. “The students don’t know when or where these activities will happen, but we are creating the fear of missing out on our identified high absenteeism days.” Teachers play a significant role in encouraging attendance through positive techniques and keeping parents informed, the high school principals said. McNamee said her high school was implementing new approaches to address chronic absenteeism. “We are strengthening our communication around students, ensuring that all staff who need to know are aware of unique circumstances so that we can better wrap services around students,” McNamee said. “To support families, we also partner with community organizations, mental health services and social support networks to provide comprehensive support. These initiatives aim to create a supportive environment that encourages regular attendance and student success.”
“Individualized support addresses the unique needs of chronically absent students by assigning mentors or counselors to work closely with at-risk students,” Armstrong said. “They develop attendance plans, set attendance goals and offer incentives that motivate students to improve their attendance habits.” Deana McNamee, Maricopa High School principal, said addressing chronic absenteeism is a top priority. “To address this issue, we’ve implemented proactive measures to identify and support chronically absent students while collaborating with staff and parents,” McNamee said. Both principals describe the typical chronically absent high school student as having poor academic performance, family unrest, mental health issues or transportation needs. “These challenges often lead to excuses such as health issues, family emergencies or disengagement from school activities,” Armstrong said. “For instance, some students may be responsible for caring for siblings or performing household chores, while others may face
Pima Butte Elementary’s rate is markedly lower than the other five elementary schools, and far lower than the district’s middle and high schools. Pima Butte Principal Elizabeth Allison has had success with an attendance reward system that positively reinforces student attendance. Allison tracks absences and tardies, telling students attendance and punctuality are both important. The school district is offering rewards to schools for improving their attendance rates, which is chipping away at the chronic absenteeism problem. It’s a trickle-down effect. For example, the school district gave Pima Butte $250 for good attendance to help support desired initiatives at the school. “We shifted our focus from perfect attendance prior to COVID to best overall attendance,” Allison said, adding students are recognized and rewarded for regular rather than perfect attendance. “We highly prioritize regular attendance,” said Allison, who has been Pima Butte’s principal for four years, after two years as assistant principal. Her students receive trophies and T-shirts as rewards, and classes with 95% attendance are announced to the rest of the school and given high praise for their successes. “We’re not looking for perfection, we’re looking for progress,” she said. After seven weeks with 95% attendance, a class will receive a pizza party and a free recess with Allison. The last class with low absences challenged her to a game of four square, she said. Allison is a believer in teachers and administrators contacting parents and informing them how they can improve their child’s attendance. It has worked in many cases. Like one fifth grader who went from chronic absentee to insisting on coming to school even when she felt unwell, Allison said. “She doesn’t want to go home because attendance matters to her. That was a real eye-opener.” Allison and MUSD Communications Director Mishell Terry have shared the success story with other district administrators.
difficulties in accessing reliable transportation to school or struggle to correlate the importance of today’s decisions to future goals and aspirations. Understanding and addressing these challenges are essential in supporting these students and improving attendance rates.” Armstrong said Desert Sunrise is finding incentive programs are working to increase attendance, such as “Reward Rallies.” “Individualized support addresses the unique needs of chronically absent students by assigning mentors or counselors to work closely with at-risk students.” MARLENE ARMSTRONG, PRINCIPAL, DESERT SUNRSIE
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InMaricopa.com | March 2024
March 2024 | InMaricopa.com
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