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CHSD 94 PTAC examines attendance, tardy‑related suspensions as district seeks interventions
Summary
District presented September attendance at 92.45% and said tardies account for the largest share of in‑school suspensions; staff described interventions including parent outreach, attendance PLC and targeted supports for chronically absent students.
Community High School District 94 staff presented attendance and discipline data at the Parent Teacher Advisory Committee meeting on Oct. 15, reporting an average daily attendance (ADA) of 92.45% six weeks into the school year and describing steps to address tardiness and chronic absence.
Jenna Winton, director of culture and climate, said the district's enrollment is about 2,000 students and that a 1% change in ADA represents roughly 20 students. "We are 92.45 percent, which is on track to be higher than what our current ADA has been in the past," Winton said, but she added she expected the figure to fall later in the semester.
Winton said tardies to class are the single largest contributor to in‑school suspensions: she said 40.8% of in‑school suspensions were for tardiness (based on data through Sept. 30) and that the district applies a tiered set of consequences. The committee heard that 14 total tardies triggers a one‑day in‑school suspension and that students who reach 16 tardies must obtain a dean specialist's signature each time they arrive late. Winton said the suspension protocol is intended to preserve instructional time while allowing interventions; she described alternatives including lunch detentions, after‑school detention and individualized supports.
On out‑of‑school suspensions, Winton said the district had nine OSS incidents for the year through Sept. 30; fighting, disobedience/disrespect and inappropriate behavior were the top categories. She also said six of the nine OSS incidents were for fighting in the current year.
Staff described proactive supports: automated calls and evening notifications for absences, a system that routes students to an attendance office for check‑ins (called "green passes" in discussion), an attendance PLC to analyze chronic truancy, and family outreach including home visits. PowerSchool and parent trainings were offered to help families access attendance and grade data; staff said they would repeat the PowerSchool training via Zoom to increase participation.
Parents and students raised concerns that locked doors and more visible tardy enforcement this year may have increased recorded tardies, that household logistics (transportation, parental morning routines) can affect punctuality, and that some students may be avoiding classes because of academic struggle or undiagnosed learning differences. Winton said staff monitor daily tardy counts, run consecutive absence reports and cross‑reference chronic truancy (greater than 25% absence) to target interventions.
Staff emphasized case‑by‑case responses: for students with high absence or tardiness, family outreach, dean specialist contact and individualized plans are used to identify and remove barriers. Winton said the goal is 95% attendance as a target and the district is using communications and incentives—such as homecoming attendance rules tied to tardies—to motivate students.
Committee members asked for further breakdowns (first‑period versus other periods, repeat offenders among suspensions) and staff said they would provide additional data when available.
