What was shared by Katy ISD at the Every Day Matters Summit?
The Katy Independent School District Team shared their comprehensive approach to Attendance Improvement at the Every Day Matters Summit on January 19. This presentation detailed their strategies for enhancing student attendance.
Katy Independent School District (ISD) employs a comprehensive, collaborative approach to improve student attendance and success, involving both district and campus-level strategies. The district's Departments of Attendance and Truancy establish guidelines and training, while individual campuses like Mayde Creek High School implement tailored plans, including fostering an attendance-focused culture and conducting home visits. Mayde Creek High School, which serves 2,935 students, 80% of whom are economically disadvantaged, specifically uses support staff collaboration on Attendance Improvement Plans and leverages tools like RaaWee to address chronic absenteeism. This systematic effort aims to re-engage students, ensure accurate attendance coding, and provide crucial connections and resources to families for effective truancy prevention.
About Katy ISD
Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD) is located in Katy, Texas, just west of Houston. Katy ISD values unique learners and promotes personalized learning experiences. The district believes that collaboration, honoring all voices, fosters ownership and personal accountability.
Role in Attendance and Truancy
In terms of attendance and truancy, everyone at both campus and district levels plays a crucial role. The Departments of Attendance and Truancy, under School Leadership and Support, create guidelines and training to help campuses re-engage students in regular attendance. These departments ensure accurate attendance coding and systematic truancy prevention to combat low attendance rates and promote academic success.
Campus-Level Strategies
At the campus level, principals and their teams know their students best. They have the autonomy to implement strategies that maximize attendance results.
Mayde Creek High School exemplifies this approach by fostering an attendance-focused culture. Serving 2,935 culturally diverse students, 80% of whom are economically disadvantaged, the school’s support staff collaborates to meet with students, review attendance records, and create Attendance Improvement Plans.
Chronic Absenteeism Challenges and Solutions
Reaching students and families can be challenging, but persistence leads to successful home visits, which provide opportunities for connection and referrals to counseling or social services. These visits are vital for truancy prevention and should always involve two team members to address root causes and offer resources.
Utilizing Tools for Attendance Improvement
Mayde Creek High School effectively uses tools like RaaWee dashboards and internal attendance reports to track and share attendance information. Friendly competitions among grade levels and daily attendance updates motivate students to attend class consistently.
Why is teamwork important for improving attendance?
Teamwork is key to improving attendance, as various staff members like Dropout Prevention Facilitators, Academic Counselors, and Social Workers serve as the first point of contact for families. Their regular collaboration enables effective action plans for attendance improvement, ensuring everyone contributes to making a difference.
About the Author
Gabriela Pulido
Dropout Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Coordinator, Katy ISD
gabrielapulido@katyisd.org