Deming Public Schools outlines tiered attendance plan and strategic goals to boost literacy and graduation rates

Superintendent and district staff presented the district's Attendance for Success Act annual program and data report and laid out a draft strategic plan during the June 18 board meeting. Miss Chavez said the district uses a three‑tier attendance framework: Tier 1 prevention (districtwide campaigns), Tier 2 targeted supports and Tier 3 intensive interventions including home visits and individualized contracts with families.

Miss Chavez told the board each site created its own attendance plan after a local needs assessment, and the district has formed attendance teams at school sites to coordinate outreach and home visitation. She said the district received an attendance grant this year that funded school‑level teams and coordinators who conducted home visits and created campaigns. The presentation noted inconsistent attendance practices across sites and a short state deadline for the reporting period that compressed planning timelines.

The presentation addressed causes of chronic absenteeism, including vehicle problems, family illness and disability. For students with individualized education programs the district explained it schedules IEP meetings and coordinates supports rather than treating absences only as disciplinary matters. Miss Chavez said the district will shift from chasing past absences toward proactive triage to remove barriers, increase family engagement and centralize student support services.

Board members asked about mental‑health and counseling access. Staff said the district will streamline referrals and locate services centrally so students can access needed supports quickly; outside providers will be used when appropriate. The district also described family literacy, adult‑education and workforce supports as part of a family‑engagement strategy intended to reduce barriers to daily attendance.

In a broader presentation on the strategic plan, consultants and district leaders framed measurable goals for the next several years, including higher literacy and math proficiency, improved social‑emotional climate metrics (Panorama Education survey measures), and on‑time graduation targets. The plan emphasizes a guaranteed, viable curriculum and frequent screening and interim assessments to guide instruction. Presenters said the district will monitor implementation at the school level and use principal and student teams to track attendance, referrals, suspensions and credit accruals.

The board did not take formal policy action on the strategic plan at the meeting; staff asked the board to consider the plan's priorities and to return with implementation and monitoring details as the district finalizes benchmarks and resource allocations.

The board is expected to take further action on the strategic plan and associated implementation steps in future meetings.