Finding Federal & State Level Funding for Implementing Attendance Tracking & Improvement Technology

Discovering the root causes of absenteeism, school refusal, chronic truancy, avoidance, or whatever other terms exist to describe the post-pandemic epidemic of student non-attendance, is essential before allocating funding to address the issues. Since we know that there is no single or predominant reason, but rather an intricate mix of ingredients that contribute to truancy behaviors, addressing the problem systemically requires multi-pronged approaches. If we can reframe non-attendance as a symptom rather than “the problem” we can get closer to addressing the core of why many students have not returned post-pandemic. And only then the conversation about resource allocation follows. 

Most schools and districts have not seen these incredible amounts of education funding coming through to mitigate the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in decades, if ever. Even so, dollars remain limited and often time-bound, so it’s important to leverage short-term activities with an eye on long-term solutions for attendance improvements. Distinguishing between limited-term revenue and ongoing funding can help leaders determine appropriate and sustainable allocations. 

Simply put, one-time dollars, otherwise known as “soft money” should only be spent on actions or items that are expected to fulfill short-term purposes. Ongoing dollars can be relied on for longer term applications. Covid relief funds, for example, such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, and Governor’s Emergency Relief Programs (GEER), all have a shorter shelf life than the annually distributed Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I-IV funds. 

When adopting an attendance monitoring program, consider braiding different funding streams to cover your initial costs with limited-term funding, such as professional development and training, hardware purchases, technology infrastructure or upgrades, attendance incentive campaigns, or technical support. After you get up and running, ongoing funding can be used to pay for annual licensing/contracts for attendance and student information systems, support staffing, interventions, and communications. 

In my experience, most school and district leaders, outside of business services departments, confess that managing budgets is their least favorite part of the job—and one they weren’t often explicitly trained for. 

Try inverting your thinking from the traditional approach… 

“We have a grant allocation of $500,000 that lasts for three years, what can we buy?” 

…To a different mindset: “We have two major attendance issues to address—one for long-term truants and one for students who were previously attending but stopped after the pandemic.” Then ask these questions: 

• What tools do we need to monitor and communicate attendance issues effectively?
• Which funding sources can we tap that will address each major problem?
• What kinds of support are necessary to move the needle for each group? 

Once you’ve asked and answered those questions, then the dollars will follow. And your inquiry before investment will pay off in the best ways for the students you serve.