E3 alliance food for thought the attendance challenge 7.17.12

E3 Alliance Food for Thought:

The Central Texas Attendance Challenge
July 17, 2012

WELCOME!

#E3allianceFFT
facebook.com/E3Alliance.org

What we’ll talk about today
• Alarming data and research about student
absences in Central Texas
• Share attendance improvement key learnings
from Central Texas school districts
• Hear what students say about chronic
absences
• Announce a cutting-edge attendance
campaign
• Get your feedback and answer your
questions!

Data Analysis, Focus Groups,
Collaborative Design and Logic Modeling
Supported by:

Amy Wiseman, Ph.D., E3 Alliance Sr. Research Associate

WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US
ABOUT ABSENCES IN OUR REGION?

Overview
• Absences: Who, what, where, when and how
many
• Academic outcomes that correlate with poor
attendance
• What we can do about it

What do we Mean by Absences?
• Student not at school when attendance taken
• Does not matter if excused or unexcused
– School loses funding for that student that day
• Exceptions:
– At school board sanctioned activity
– At Doctor’s appointment with note
– About 10 additional reasons
• Chronic absenteeism: miss 10% or more days

Source: Texas Education Code © 2012 E3 Alliance

?
Absences in Central Texas per
Year

Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at UT Education Research Center; 2010-2011 school year. © 2012 E3 Alliance

2.4 Million
Absences in Central Texas per
Year

Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at UT Education Research Center; 2010-2011 school year. © 2012 E3 Alliance

Half of Central Texas Students Miss Six or
More Class Days per Year
Percentage of Students

5 6
or Fewer or More
Missed Days Missed Days

Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at UT Education Research Center. © 2012 E3 Alliance

But Account for 85% of all Absences

Percentage of Students Percentage of Absences

85%
5 6 of Absences
or Fewer or More
Missed Days Missed Days
15%


The Fewest Absences are in Grades 3 to 5

Absences in Central Texas 2009-10
14
Average Days Absent

12

10

8

6 Central Texas
Texas
4

2

0
KG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Grade

Central Texas has More Absences than
Texas on Average
Absences in 2009-10
14
Average Days Absent

12

10

8

6 Central Texas
Texas
4

2

0
KG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Grade

High School Students Miss More than Two
Weeks
Days Absent in Central Texas in 2009-10
15
Average Days Absent

10
11.3

5 6.6 7.4

0
Elementary School Middle School High School

The Jump in Absences Happens Between
8th and 9th Grade
Absences in Central Texas, 2009-2010
14
14
Average Days Absent

12 3 Days
More
10 11 11
10
8
8
8
6 7
4

2

0
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Grade

Areas of Austin
ISD with the
Most Middle
School Absences
Primarily East of
I35

© 2012 E3 Alliance
Source: Children’s Optimal Health

Chronic
Absenteeism in
High School Spread
Across Much of
District

© 2012 E3 Alliance
Source: Children’s Optimal Health

Student with Lowest Income Miss Most Days
Absences Central Texas High Schools, 2009-10
18
16
Average Days Absent

14 15
12
10
11
8 9
6
4
2
0
Non-low Income Reduced Price Lunch Free Lunch


Asian Students Miss Fewest
Days of School
18
16
Average Days Absent

14
12 13 14
10
8 9
6
4 6
2
0
Asian Black Hispanic White


Poorest Students Have Six Additional Absences
on Average
18
16
Average Days Absent

14 16 16 15
12
10 12 11 11
8 10 10
8
6 7
4 5 6
2
0
Non-Low Income Reduced Price Lunch Free Lunch
Asian Black Hispanic White

WHAT OUTCOMES CORRELATE
WITH POOR ATTENDANCE?

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Grade 9 Retention is Dramatic
2010-11 Central Texas Students
30,000
9th Grade Bubble
25,000
Student Enrollment

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

-
PK KG Gr1 Gr2 Gr3 Gr4 Gr5 Gr6 Gr7 Gr8 Gr9 Gr10 Gr11 Gr12


Grade 9 Retention is Dramatic
2010-11 Central Texas Students
30,000

Retained Students
25,000
Student Enrollment

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

-
PK KG Gr1 Gr2 Gr3 Gr4 Gr5 Gr6 Gr7 Gr8 Gr9 Gr10 Gr11 Gr12


Retained Students had Four Times More
Absences
Absences for First Time 9th Graders
25

24
Average Days Absent

20

15

10

5
6
0
Retained in 9th Promoted to 10th
Status in Next School Year
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at UT Education Research Center; First time 9th graders in 2006-7 © 2012 E3 Alliance

Only 17% of Retained Freshmen Passed
TAKS Math
TAKS Math Passing Rate
100%
Percentage Passing TAKS

80%

60%
57-point difference 74%

40%

20%

17%
0%

Students Retained in 9th Grade 10X More
Likely to Drop Out
Percentage of Cohort that Dropped Out
Percentage of 9th Grade Cohort

20%
18%
16% 18.3%
14% 10X
12%
10%
Difference
8%
6%
4%
1.7%
2%
0%

10% of First Time Freshmen are Retained

2007-8 Student status

Retained
in 9th
10%

Promoted
to 10th
90%


The 10% Retained 9th Graders Account for
Half of Dropouts
2007-8 Student status Dropouts by retention status

Retained
in 9th
10%

Retained
Promoted in 9th
to 10th 49%
51%
Promoted
to 10th
90%


Absences and 9th Grade Retention
Correspond to Dropping Out
Absences During Grade 9
35

33
Average Days Absent

30

25

20
22
15 Not dropout
10 14 Dropout

5
6
0

WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCREASE
ATTENDANCE?

National Literature Review Shows Patterns
but Little Evidence
• School based, clinic/community based and court
based interventions somewhat effective
– But do not differ in overall effectiveness
• Student based behavioral strategies effective
– Contracting, incentives, social skills training
– Even more effective with parent training
• School based attendance groups also effective
• Mentoring and family therapy not very effective

Source: Maynard et al. (2011) Meta-analysis of interventions to increase school attendance © 2012 E3 Alliance

Need to Know the ‘Why’ on Absences
• Broad categories of absences (Balfanz & Byrnes, 2012)
– Can’t – illness or other responsibilities
– Don’t – school refusers often due to bullying
– Won’t – skipping
• Need to know the ‘Why’ in Central Texas
– Working on getting absence reason codes from
partner school districts

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Future Research and Analysis
• Reason Code analysis
– Specific reason code frequency and pattern
– Mapped to programs or interventions we control
• Regional mapping of hotspots by Children’s
Optimal Health
• Longitudinal Tracking of absences
• Relationship between student and teacher
absenteeism
• Working with partners to obtain funding
© 2012 E3 Alliance

Launching Attendance Campaign
Based on Data
• Worst attendance in High School
• Jump in absences between 8th and 9th grade
• No gender differences in attendance

• Targeting all children in 7th through 10th
grades
– Begins before jump in absences and continues
through High School when easier to influence

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Rick L’Amie, Director of Communications, E3 Alliance

IMPROVING STUDENT ATTENDANCE:
WHAT CAN WE DO?

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Background
• Central Texas superintendents chose increased attendance as
#1 way community and funders could assist districts:
1. “Triple Bottom Line” benefit:
• Students can learn when in class
• Teachers have more time to teach
• Increased revenue to districts
2. Unlike teacher quality or curriculum, communities can directly
contribute to student and district success
• E3 Alliance spearheading regional approach to increase
attendance

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Vicious or Virtuous Cycle?

Poor Low income
Student Academic Shorter lifespan
Absences Achievement Unhealthy behavior

© 2012 E3 Alliance

FOCUSING ON ATTENDANCE:
KEY LEARNINGS

Inventory of Local Districts (ongoing)
• Leander: Hope Committee
– 5 consecutive days absent at any grade triggers response
by district “Hope Committee”
– Adults problem solve with student to stay in school
• Austin: Multi-faceted investigation
– Working through ACCESS project
– Elementary: Families move & don’t re-enroll
– Secondary: Students work to support families & what that
actually means!

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Pflugerville Attendance Effort
• Started in Fall 2011; informed by H-E-B ISD program
• Central message & outreach: Attendance: It Counts!
– Posters + magnets + messages on campus & district mail
– Tied-in funding message: 1% gain gets us over $1M!
• Two full-time attendance outreach coordinators
– Identify students, notify parents, home visits, family
interventions, truancy court
– On site @ each MS & HS campus 1 day/week
• Consolidated 3 truancy courts to 1 (Judge Bass)
• Major take-aways: − Follow-through creates community buzz
− Relationships are crucial
© 2012 E3 Alliance

District Attendance Survey
• Approximately 2/3 of respondents have done some kind of
attendance campaign in the last six years
• The main messages of attendance campaigns:
– Student Success is Directly Related to Student Attendance
– District Funding is Directly Related to Student Attendance
• Campaigns included:
– Parent communications, campus data collection, community “sweeps”
for missing students, home visits, hiring of attendance specialists,
partnerships with courts, robocalls, etc.

Outcome:

Most respondents felt that their
campaign worked, but they do not have
the data to support it

Regional Attendance Insights
• Austin ISD – 6 days > mobility
• Leander ISD – 10 days = dropouts
• Hays CISD – Reporting out absence data
to campuses
• Del Valle ISD – Teacher absences =
student absences

© 2012 E3 Alliance

Student Focus Groups
• E3 Alliance conducted student focus groups in
Pflugerville middle and high school AVID
classes and with rural and urban CIS high
school students
• Asked about:
1. attendance awareness & attitudes
2. media/entertainment attitudes & opinions

© 2012 E3 Alliance

• CIS High School Students
– Think “skipping” is big problem
• Drags down class; material has to be repeated
• Being in class creates responsible job habits
• Need education to get a job
– Why do kids miss school?
• Bad influences, hang with a bad crowd
• No positive pressure at home to attend
• Classes too long, boring
• Have to work
• Care for family
• Transportation not the cause
© 2012 E3 Alliance

• CIS High School Students
– Think a campaign might help increase attendance
• Has to be relevant; not stupid
• Robocalls might work
– Celebrities/singers – hip hop
– Not athletes
• Incentives would work
– Concerts
– Food
• Peer pressure would work
• Posters & contests wouldn’t work
© 2012 E3 Alliance

• Pflugerville AVID High School Students
– Aware that chronic absences are a problem
• Schools don’t get paid if kids go missing
• That means extra curricular, specialty courses might get
cut
– Attending school is important
• Learn, get an education
• Make more money; be successful
• Won’t be able to go to college if you skip school and
drop out
© 2012 E3 Alliance

• Pflugerville AVID High School Students
– What would work to increase attendance?
• Day care on campus
• Announcements
• Music/rap contests
• Group discussions
• Incentives: food, music
• Celebrity calls probably wouldn’t work

© 2012 E3 Alliance

• Pflugerville AVID Middle School Students
– Aware that chronic attendance is a problem
– Causes include
• Bullying
• Good excuse to turn in late assignments
• Care for sick family members
• Have to work
• Peer pressure
– More open to traditional school outreach

© 2012 E3 Alliance

A Two-Pronged Approach
1 • TBD based on reason codes,
Changes in school
and district Lit reviews, local data:
systems incentives, engaged teaching,
School, hired attendance staff, etc.
Systems
Changes 2
Healthcare • TBD based on reason codes,
resources & access Access to partners
for students Leverage RWJF grant

3 • Target “low hanging fruit”
Broad awareness & • Thru business & partners
education outreach • Print media, op eds
Community • 3 Days = $34M!!
Outreach
4
Targeted attendance • Target 7th-10th graders & parents
campaign to
• Relevant, targeted messages
adolescents &
• Radio, billboards, social media
parents
• Tied to events, robocalls

© 2012 E3 Alliance

A 7-week challenge to improve attendance rates and motivate
students
…using a mix of sizzle and substance

Targeted Attendance Campaign
• Partnerhips
– Incite “social impact marketing”
unit of Emmis Communications
• KLBJ AM/FM, BOB FM, “La Z” 107.1, 101X, KGSR, Comedy
– Get Schooled
• National not for profit with successful track record
– E3 Alliance and Member school districts
• AISD, Bastrop, Del Valle, Hays, Leander, Pflugerville,
Round Rock, San Marcos

Incite Targeted Attendance Campaign
• Audiences
– Students in 7-10 grades
– Parents of at-risk students
– Educators (School leadership, teachers, guidance
counselors, etc.)
– Community at-large (businesses, government
entities, influencers, etc.)

Targeted Attendance Campaign

Goals
– Elevate awareness about the importance of attendance
among participating middle and high school students,
teachers and parents
– Improve attendance and inspire student engagement in
the participating middle and high schools
– Connect with new and existing community based
partnerships aimed at boosting attendance across the
Central Texas community

Activations and Attendance = Winner
• Wake Up Calls
• Nominate an Inspiring Teacher
• On the Hunt
• iPlay

Activations and Attendance = Winner

• Students earn points each time they
participate in an activation
• Motivated by incentives, internal activities
• “Winning” school will be determined based on
engagement points and attendance gains
– Regional
– National

Fall 2011 Attendance Challenge
17 states represented
88 schools participating
90,000 students involved

Attendance Challenge Timeline
• Phase One: July - August
– Coordinate with districts and campuses
– Incite to coordinate media buys/sponsor
– Facilitate broad awareness outreach partnerships
• Phase Two: August - October
– Aug 27 – Create BUZZ: Wake up calls launch, early
promotion
• Phase Three: Attendance Challenge
– Oct. 1 to Dec. 7
• Attendance Challenge
• Radio outreach and promotions

Attendance Challenge Timeline
• Phase Four: December- January
– December
• Calculate scores
– December - January
• Regional winner and events
• National winner and “prize”

What’s Next?
• Campaign is just the beginning
• More research & analysis needed
• Collaboration around best practices in
schools, justice and health infrastructure
Need community & corporate support behind
campaign & media outreach
• Ultimate goals:
Improved student performance
Increased financial support to schools

The Next Food For Thought: Wed. Sept. 19

THIRD GRADE READING: PUTTING
IT ALL TOGETHER FOR SUCCESS

E3alliance.org

#E3allianceFFT
facebook.com/E3Alliance.org

E3 alliance food for thought the attendance challenge 7.17.12

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E3 alliance food for thought the attendance challenge 7.17.12