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Cougar Elementary identified for federal TSI; division reports drop in chronic absenteeism
Summary
School officials told the board Cougar Elementary was designated a federal Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school because of low-performing subgroups and chronic absenteeism; presenters said Cougar's chronic absenteeism fell from 36.88% to 25.85% as of Feb. 26 and outlined next steps including state technical assistance and possible federal grant applications.
School officials told the Manassas Park school board on Wednesday that Cougar Elementary School has been identified for federal Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act because some student subgroups did not meet progress measures.
"Cougar was identified this year as a Targeted Support and Improvement school," the presenter said, naming students with disabilities, Hispanic students and students of multiple races as the groups prompting the designation. Staff explained that TSI is a federal identification distinct from state accreditation measures and that federal identification may trigger required division and school support plans.
Student services staff and Miss Miller, the division's attendance officer, gave the board a detailed briefing on chronic absenteeism. Miss Miller said chronic absenteeism — defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, roughly 18 days — declined at Cougar from 36.88% at the end of the prior school year to 25.85% as of Feb. 26. "That's about an 11% difference," she said, and staff cautioned that holiday spikes and seasonal travel can cause fluctuations.
Miss Miller said the division added two assistant attendance officers funded by state money; the new positions allowed the division to scale attendance meetings (52 meetings before vs. 114 in two months after the assistants started) and increase home visits and family outreach. She described "bubble kids" — students just under the chronic threshold — as a focus for May outreach.
Presenters said next steps include attending a technical-assistance webinar from the state's Office of School Quality, developing school and division support plans tied to federal requirements, and exploring potential federal school improvement grant opportunities. Board members proposed practical measures — mobile dental/medical clinics, Saturday tutoring sessions, a Zoom room for remote appointments and targeted messaging to families — and staff said some mobile services and MAP clinic immunizations have been used previously.
The board was given an explicit timeline of follow-up actions: staff will attend the state webinar this week, develop division and school plans, and return to the board with additional detail as those requirements and supports are clarified.
