Fairfax County Attendance Task Force Update Number 2

1. Fairfax County
Attendance Task
Force
Update #2
May 3, 2016
bit.ly/ffxattends
#attendFCPS

2. SORC’s “Tackling Truancy” Infographic
2

3. SORC’s “Tackling Truancy” Infographic
3

4. Our Approach
• The basic ideas:
• Tiered approaches that address the root causes of students who are chronically
absent or at risk
• Promotion of attendance and education of families, students, and the public
• The SORC Promising Practices will serve as a framework:
• Positive school climate
• Data monitoring
• Multi-disciplinary services
• Tiered responses
• This is not just a schools issue. Nor is it just a courts issue. It’s an “all of us”
issue.
4

5. Goal 1: Ensuring a positive school climate and
promoting attendance
Proposed Strategies
• Awareness campaign
• Parent resources
• Return to Learn
• Alternative learning and school completion programs
• Attendance messaging as a part of school readiness initiatives
Addressing Equity: language access, cultural competence,
disaggregated data, community engagement
5

6. Goal 2: Monitor data to enable early
intervention
Proposed Strategies
• Standardized process for monitoring and acting on data
• School attendance teams
• Revised position description for School Probation Officers
• Evaluate bell schedule changes
Addressing Equity: disaggregated data, engage parent liaisons and
interpreters
6

7. Goal 3: Multi-disciplinary service planning,
implementation, and monitoring
Proposed Strategies
• Consistent practices for collaboration
• Consistent practices for sharing information
• Engage family organizations in data monitoring and issue updates
Addressing Equity: language access, cultural competency, community
engagement
7

8. Goal 4: Tiered system of interventions
Proposed Strategies
• Consistent and accessible resource list
• Standardized procedures for pre-arranged absences
• Legislative advocacy
• Tiered system of interventions (see next three slides)
Addressing Equity: language access, cultural competency, community
engagement
8

9. Tier 1
• Purpose: To identify and recognize students whose good or improved
attendance could be maintained and cultivated as long as prevention-
oriented supports are in place.
• Target Group: All students who have missed between 0- 9% of school
days in a quarter or cumulatively in a school year.
• Required Interventions: Create a school wide plan that promotes and
supports good attendance and assesses individual students’ risk
factors that may cause entry into tier 2.
9

10. Tier 2
• Purpose: To identify the root cause(s) of an individual’s absenteeism
and put into place a plan that includes services and supports to
address the absenteeism and opportunities to reengage in school if
necessary.
• Target Group: Students who have missed 10-19% of school days in a
quarter or cumulatively in a school year.
• Required Interventions: Continued building upon and exhausting
required tier 1 interventions. Update attendance plan with student,
parent, assessment, referrals to service, and referral to mentoring
program. Convene with multi-agency team.
10

11. Tier 3
• Purpose: To identify the root cause(s) and risk factors of an individual’s
absenteeism and put into place a plan that includes services and supports
to address absenteeism and opportunities to reengage in school if
necessary.
• Target Group: Students who have missed 20% or more of school days in a
quarter or cumulatively in a school year and/or face a risk factor (like
involvement in child welfare or juvenile justice system, homelessness or
having a parent who has been incarcerated).
• Required Interventions: Update attendance plan with student, parents,
school officials, and other relevant members of the multi-agency team, to
ensure required Tier 2 interventions have been attempted and exhausted;
ensure Family Resource Meeting (FRM) has been completed prior to
referring to Juvenile Court for Diversion.
11

12. Report: Recommendations for Developing a
Plan of Action
• Based on feedback and input at the Community Dialogue and
on identified evidence-based and best practices
• Recommended strategies in 12 areas:
1. Consistent cross-system attendance
policy and practice
2. Tiered interventions
3. Early intervention
4. Access to career and technical
education and GED programs
5. Transitions back to school
6. Out-of-school time opportunities
7. Transportation
8. Team-based approach
9. Personalized connections and support
10. Service access and connections
11. Public awareness and social messaging
12. Data quality
12

13. Get Involved
• Provide feedback before plan is finalized.
• The plan will be presented to the SCYPT for endorsement on June 1.
• Email ncs-prevention@fairfaxcounty.gov with questions or feedback
or to arrange a briefing for stakeholder organizations and agencies.
• Stay informed:
• bit.ly/ffxattends - information, webinars, email list
• Follow us on Twitter @ffxyouththrive and use #attendFCPS
13

14. Questions?
14