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CHSD 94 advisory committee reviews attendance data, outlines tiered interventions
Summary
At the April 14 Parent‑Teacher Advisory Committee meeting, Director of Culture and Climate Jenna Wint presented attendance and chronic‑absenteeism data (chronic absenteeism down from 29.6% to 29.0%) and described tiered interventions including student surveys, immediate phone calls, home visits and DEN lessons to improve attendance.
Jenna Wint, the district’s director of culture and climate, told the Parent‑Teacher Advisory Committee on April 14 that average daily attendance and chronic absenteeism remain central concerns for Community High School District 94.
Wint reported that chronic absenteeism — defined by the district as missing 10% of the school year (about 18 days) — had fallen slightly from 29.6% last year to 29.0% this year. She said the district treats truancy (missing 5% of the year, about nine days) and chronic absenteeism as related but distinct problems that require tiered responses.
“We are trending positively right now,” Wint said, but added that the current numbers are “a snapshot in time” and stressed that work must continue to raise student participation.
The committee heard a set of interventions organized around a Multi‑Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) approach. Tier‑one activities include schoolwide education on attendance, posters in English and Spanish, monthly emails to students and parents showing each student’s attendance percentage, and DEN lessons that teach the value of daily attendance. For students whose attendance does not improve, staff described individualized interventions: dean or counselor meetings, immediate phone calls when students are found cutting class, home visits coordinated by deans, social workers or family outreach staff, and attendance goal‑setting tied to student‑selected rewards.
Wint said an attendance survey will be distributed to students to identify the primary reasons they miss school and to inform targeted supports. She described the attendance PLC (professional learning community) as the district’s primary tier‑one vehicle and noted the district will analyze survey responses to inform den lessons and home‑visit strategies.
Students and parents on the committee emphasized motivation and relationships as drivers of attendance. Committee members recommended highlighting positive student stories, increasing student‑led outreach (student panels and peer mentoring), and ensuring that home visits are conducted by staff the student trusts rather than only by staff who may be perceived as disciplinary.
Staff also reported operational steps intended to reduce barriers: immediate parent outreach when students skip class, academic support during DEN, and closer monitoring of attendance trends by period and subject to identify classes with elevated absence rates. The district already sends attendance emails monthly to students and parents and is exploring ways to make attendance data more visible to students in PowerSchool or DEN.
Next steps: the district will distribute the student attendance survey, use its attendance PLC and behavior committee to turn survey results into DEN lessons and targeted interventions, and continue monthly outreach to students and families.
