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District reports 90% attendance goal met at district level; board seeks grade-level detail
Summary
District staff presented a Goal 6 update showing district-level attendance at or above 90% and described causes of chronic absenteeism and tiered MTSS interventions; board members requested grade-level and feeder-district breakdowns to target supports.
District staff told the governing board the Tempe Union High School District is meeting its Goal 6 target at the district level — maintaining a 90% or higher attendance rate — while acknowledging chronic absenteeism remains a concern.
In a teaching-and-learning presentation, Dr. Maya Alexik said the district dashboard shows attendance rates at or above 90% from 2015 through the 2023–24 school year and noted state-level chronic absenteeism increased after COVID. "The sixth goal ... is that we will maintain 90% or higher attendance rate across all schools," Alexik said.
Alexik reviewed weekly patterns (higher absence rates on Fridays and Mondays) and subgroup results, noting some small subgroups (for example, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander with about a dozen students) can produce volatile percentages when disaggregated. She cited research findings during the presentation: students who miss more than seven days over two years are likelier to drop out, and "only 64% of students who miss 10 or more days in grade 10 will graduate." She emphasized that attendance problems include late arrivals, class-period absences and full-day absences.
To address the issue, staff proposed a tiered MTSS approach: tier one universal strategies (accurate attendance records, classroom routines, greeting students at the door, incentives and communication with families), tier two targeted interventions via MTSS teams (small-group tutoring, transportation supports such as bus passes) and tier three individualized, intensive supports for chronically absent students.
Board members asked for additional detail. President Montero and others requested grade-level disaggregation to identify cohorts (noting concern about 9th and 10th grades), and Member Hodge asked staff to coordinate with feeder districts to identify at-risk students before they transition to high school. Alexik said grade-level data exist and the district has started conversations with feeder districts to share data.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; members directed staff to provide disaggregated data and continue coordinating interventions.
