Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Attendance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carmel Unified reports big drop in chronic absenteeism; staff outline tiered approach
Summary
Carmel Unified presented a data-driven update showing a 6.7 percentage-point drop in chronic absenteeism for 2023-24 and outlined universal, targeted and intensive attendance strategies.
The district presented data showing a substantial decrease in chronic absenteeism for the 2023-24 school year and described districtwide strategies used to reduce absences, including restorative disciplinary practices and targeted tiered supports.
Director of Student Services Dr. Cassandra Ziskind defined chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of school days (about 18 days per year) and noted Carmel Unified's 6.7 percentage-point improvement in 2023-24, a larger-than-typical gain. Dr. Ziskind highlighted site-level gains at River, Tularecito, Carmel Middle and Carmel High; Captain Cooper Elementary was an exception because environmental factors (road closures, bridge access, weather) limit some families' ability to get students to school even when the site remains open.
Ziskind described the district's tiered model: Tier 1 universal strategies (consistent communication, attendance recognition), Tier 2 targeted plans and individualized learning plans, and Tier 3 intensive interventions including the district attorney's attendance-abatement program. The district reported five students in the last three years had been enrolled in the county's attendance-abatement process with improved attendance afterward. Staff also noted improvements in suspension rates and a shift to restorative practices.
District staff said they unified attendance codes three years ago, standardized home-and-hospital and independent-study protocols (short-term independent study is tracked and provides attendance credit when work is submitted), and started partnerships such as Harmony at Home for anti-bullying coaching. Ziskind said staff send illness letters to families to flag attendance patterns and that professional development for attendance clerks and administrators has been provided.
Board members asked whether gains were evident in preliminary current-year data; staff said April-level data shows continued improvement but cautioned that the year is not complete. The item was informational; no action was required.
