Tag Archives: absences

AISD and Absences

Been brainstorming ways to improve attendance. We lose funding every day a kid doesn’t show up and it also negatively affects our test scores. Even if all the kids do fantastically if enough days are missed we could lose our top ranking. And according to the Attend-o-Meter we could add $50-60 million in funding if we improved attendance 1% district-wide. That would claw back half of what we send the state in recapture each year. And Becker (where Stella goes) is one of the worst attended schools in the district.

It’s funny because they’ve been using perfect attendance rankings forever. But perfect attendance is not really feasible. Kids get sick.

Once you’ve missed one day perfect attendance awards provide zero incentive for kids and parents to miss 2 days rather than 20. Even though that means a loss of $90 vs. a loss of $900.

I think sending home “what your kids absences cost the school” in the report card might be a start. Maybe that auto-dialer could call people and tell them their kid missed school and that they cost the school district $45, k thx bye.

Anyone else got thoughts?