Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

Which of the following is NOT one of the documented outcomes of chronic absenteeism?

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

Students with disabilities are _____more likely to be chronically absent than their peers without disabilities.

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

In 2018, Virginia revised the Standards of Accreditation to include chronic absenteeism as one of the school quality indicators.

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

A student is considered to be chronically absent when they miss ____ or more of the school year. This is being absent for any reason, whether it is excused, unexcused, or due to out-of-school suspensions.

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

Every child who is chronically absent is considered to be truant.

Module 1: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism

The reasons behind chronic absenteeism can be broken down into four general categories: myths, barriers, aversion, and disengagement. Choose the category that best describes this reason: In preK or kindergarten, some parents may feel that not much academic learning is taking place, so attendance is not as important.

Module 2: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

The approach of punishing students for missing school is effective in encouraging regular attendance.

The Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports  (VTSS) use a three-tiered framework for organizing a continuum of supports and interventions for regular school attendance. Choose the tier that match these supports:   Universal and preventative strategies for all students; promoting attendance by fostering a safe, supportive, and equitable school environment for students and families.

The Virginia Tiered Systems of Support  (VTSS) use a three-tiered framework for organizing a continuum of supports and interventions for regular school attendance. Choose the tier that match these supports:   early interventions designed to provide more support to students at risk of chronic absenteeism. Personalized outreach and engaging the student and family in developing action plans are critical to identifying effective interventions.

Which tier is the costliest for school divisions?

Module 2: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Within the VTSS three-tiered framework, there are key strategies recommended for schools to address chronic absenteeism. Choose the category that this strategy would best support: contacting the parents and working with the student as quickly as possible when schools start to notice that a student is missing too many days.

Module 2: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Within the VTSS three-tiered framework, there are key strategies recommended for schools to address chronic absenteeism. Choose the category that this strategy would best support: offering a warm and welcoming environment that is culturally responsive and emphasizes building relationships with students and families.

Module 2: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Which of the following is NOT a required element in developing a programmatic response to chronic absenteeism?

Module 2: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Systemic change requires shared accountability, partnerships and collaborations, and ongoing activities. Which of the following activities are examples of partnerships and collaborations? [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

In order to understand attendance, it is important to have actionable data. As stated in the video, which of the following descriptors identifies actionable data? [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

The most common way to examine data is at the individual student level. Which one of the following is NOT an example of individual student-level data?

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Studies have also shown that a student who is chronically absent in the prior school year and/or the first month of school is more likely to be chronically absent the rest of the year.

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Other sources of individual student level information may also be useful in determining the reason for a student’s absenteeism. Which one of the following is NOT one of the records suggested in the video?

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

School-level data can also help to identify trends in a school’s absenteeism rates. Choose the school populations that may be more likely to experience chronic absenteeism. [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Some studies have found that chronic absenteeism rates tend to be higher for kindergarten and first grade, decrease and level out through elementary school before beginning to rise again in middle school, and finally be at their highest for twelfth grade.

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Which of the following is NOT a school-level source of data that might identify the reason for chronic absenteeism?

Module 3: Using Actionable Data to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Division-level data can be used to look for outliers– schools with low chronic absenteeism to highlight effective practices and share them with other schools who may need additional support.

Module 4: Building Capacity to Address Chronic Absenteeism

One of the first steps in organizing a systemic approach may require a comprehensive needs assessment. Which of the following is NOT one of the aspects included in a comprehensive needs assessment?

Module 4: Building Capacity to Address Chronic Absenteeism

A comprehensive needs assessment should also examine the availability of resources, assets, and staffing structure to support prevention and intervention activities. An example of a school resource related to chronic absenteeism would be:

Module 4: Building Capacity to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Another key ingredient in successfully addressing chronic absenteeism is the dissemination of clear attendance policies and practices. Well-defined and clear procedures should include which of the following? [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 4: Building Capacity to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Effective attendance teams are critical in implementing supports to improve attendance. Which of the following is NOT one the four characteristics of a successful attendance team?

Module 4: Building Capacity to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Professional development for the entire school staff should be used to develop family engagement skills and foster a positive school climate in an effort to reduce chronic absence. Which of the following is NOT a practice that promotes a positive school climate?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

Families play a critical role in their child’s attendance, and relationships with educators can impact the family’s perspective on school attendance. Which of the following is NOT one of the five essential roles of families in student learning?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

For educators, engaging families is a critical skill.  There are three guiding principles to engaging families: making authentic connections; focusing on what is important to the student and family; and using frequent and consistent communication. Which principle would culturally and linguistically responsive communication fall under?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

For educators, engaging families is a critical skill.  There are three guiding principles to engaging families: making authentic connections; focusing on what is important to the student and family; and using frequent and consistent communication. Which principle would leveraging existing activities and practices such as assemblies, back-to-school nights, and parent-teacher conferences fall under?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

The first strategy in building relationships is being able to reach families through their preferred method of communication and ensuring that communication methods are accessible to all families.  Which of the following is NOT a practice that supports this strategy?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

Teachers’ communications play a critical role in family outreach and relationship-building. Framing the conversation with a strengths-based approach is necessary to build trust. Which of the following components is necessary for a problem-solving perspective to attendance challenges? [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 5: Positive Engagement

One way that teachers can build trusting relationships with students is to contact them to let them know they are missed when they are absent.

Module 5: Positive Engagement

For students who are very disengaged, Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions may be needed. A caring adult is critical in student engagement, and one of the most effective types of interventions to address disengagement is mentoring. Which of the following is NOT an evidence-based mentoring program mentioned in the video?

Module 5: Positive Engagement

School leaders are essential in planning for and supporting relationship-building with students and families. To ensure high-impact family engagement, school leaders should take which of the following concrete actions? [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

Community members should be concerned about regular school attendance because it can negatively affect adult income, health, and life expectancy.

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

Tier 1 or school-wide, universal prevention practices promoting attendance and providing incentives for regular attendance can be provided through the following community collaborations/partnerships. [multiple answer: choose all that apply].

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

1. In the video, some partnerships for Tier 1 supports to address systemic barriers were categorized as local government and public agencies; community schools; philanthropic and nonprofit organizations; health care providers; and community volunteers. Under which category would serving as a hub for community partners to provide a range of services for children and families, from supporting basic needs, like health services, to engagement with students and families fall?

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

In the video, some partnerships for Tier 1 supports to address systemic barriers were categorized as local government and public agencies; community schools; philanthropic and nonprofit organizations; health care providers; and community volunteers. Under which category would social services and housing agencies that can provide direct funding and targeted resources like free metro or bus cards and tutoring programs in housing developments fall?

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

In the video, Tier 2 interventions are identified as collaborations with partners that may rely on more specialized knowledge or resources, for example, health and behavioral health providers; out of school time (OST) providers; and local government and public agencies and nonprofit organizations. Under which category would targeted supports to families such as parenting classes, pro bono legal services, or credit counselors fall?

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

For Tier 3 interventions, school personnel will benefit from a system of care approach and may need assistance from ___________________  services, or wraparound services, as recommended by the Office of Children’s Services. [fill in the blank]

Module 6: Strategic Partnerships

Strong and successful partnerships require all but which one of the following attributes?