This document discusses the state's chronic absenteeism plan and early response

Page 9 of this presentation has a model for handling chronic absenteeism

A Chronic Absenteeism Support Program is established to: (1) Reduce chronic absenteeism; (2) Identify school districts that have a high rate of chronic absenteeism; (3) Inform identified school districts of their high rate of chronic absenteeism; (4) Provide identified school districts with information related to best practices for reducing chronic absenteeism and the technical assistance necessary to reduce chronic absenteeism; (5) Include stakeholder voice that mirrors the diversity of the community to facilitate an equitable and inclusive approach to reducing chronic absenteeism; (6) Develop regional consortia for the purpose of reducing chronic absenteeism throughout the state; and (7) Provide targeted assistance to school districts that have the highest rates of chronic absenteeism.

(1) The Oregon Department of Education shall implement a regional consortia model for the purpose of reducing chronic absenteeism throughout the state. (2) The regional consortia model implemented under this rule must use regional consortia to provide regional support to school districts identified under OAR 581-020-0636 as having a high rate of chronic absenteeism that are located in the geographic area governed by the regional consortium. (3) Each regional consortium must:

• (a) Have a regional governance structure;
• (b) Use a regional coordinator to establish communications between the department and school districts that are members of the consortium;
• (c) Disseminate to school districts that are members of the consortium information developed by the department related to best practices for reducing chronic absenteeism;
• (d) Conduct activities to reduce chronic absenteeism;
• (e) Develop plans to reduce chronic absenteeism in conjunction with school districts that are members of the consortium, and with the timely and meaningful involvement of stakeholders;
• (f) Provide school districts that are members of the consortium with available resources for the purposes of participating in activities conducted under this rule and implementing plans developed under this rule;
• (g) Collect data from school districts that are members of the consortium on the effectiveness of activities conducted under this rule and plans developed under this rule; and
• (h) Provide data collected under this rule to the department. (4) In fulfilling its duties under this section, a school district must:
• (a) Consider the root causes of chronic absenteeism;
• (b) Identify student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism;
• (c) Include stakeholders when developing a plan pursuant to subsection (3)(e) of this rule; and
• (d) Include stakeholders when implementing and evaluating the plan developed pursuant to subsection (3)(e) of this rule. (5) Plans developed pursuant to subsection (3)(e) of this rule must:
• (a) Target the circumstances or beliefs identified as causing chronic absenteeism, including any barrier to attending school, aversion to attending school, misconception concerning school, or disengagement from school;
• (b) Account for student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism;
• (c) Be equitable and inclusive in their application to those student populations;
• (d) Be culturally responsive; and
• (e) Be trauma sensitive.

(1) If selected by the Oregon Department of Education under OAR 581-020-0642, a school district may agree to receive targeted assistance under this rule. (2) A school district that receives targeted assistance under this rule must file with the department a report assessing the school district's needs related to chronic absenteeism. The report must:

• (a) Identify the root causes of chronic absenteeism in the school district;
• (b) Identify student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism in the school district; and
• (c) Identify resources that may reduce chronic absenteeism in the school district. (3) In consideration of the report, the department shall develop a plan to reduce chronic absenteeism in the school district in conjunction with the school district and stakeholders. The plan must propose solutions to chronic absenteeism that:
• (a) Target the circumstances or beliefs identified as causing chronic absenteeism, including any barrier to attending school, aversion to attending school, misconception concerning school, or disengagement from school;
• (b) Account for student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism;
• (c) Are equitable and inclusive in its application to those student populations;
• (d) Are culturally responsive; and
• (e) Are trauma sensitive. (4) In implementing a plan developed under this rule, a school district must collaborate with a coach approved by the department pursuant to OAR 581-020- 0648. (5) Upon request, school districts shall submit to the department data on the effectiveness of plans developed under this rule.

(1) For the purpose of assisting the implementation of a plan developed under OAR 581-020-0645, a school district must collaborate with a coach approved by the Oregon Department of Education who is knowledgeable about chronic absenteeism. A coach with whom a school district collaborates under this rule must be able to:

• (a) Identify students who are at risk of being chronically absent;
• (b) Identify student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism;
• (c) Propose solutions to chronic absenteeism that:
• (A) Target the circumstances or beliefs identified as causing chronic absenteeism, including any barrier to attending school, aversion to attending school, misconception concerning school, or disengagement from school; and
• (B) Account for student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism;
• (C) Are equitable and inclusive in their application to those student populations;
• (D) Are culturally responsive; and
• (E) Are trauma sensitive. (2) In addition to the other requirements described in this rule, a coach with whom a school district collaborates under this rule must:
• (a) Be experienced working with, and be able to engage, a wide variety of stakeholders; and
• (b) Have a demonstrated history of using a collaborative approach to problem solving.

(1) In addition to those moneys distributed through the State School Fund, the Department of Education shall award grants from the Statewide Education Initiatives Account to school districts to implement the early warning system described in this section that assist students in graduating from high school. (2)

• (a) A system funded by a grant awarded under this section must enable school districts, students, students’ families, educators, school counselors and community organizations to take necessary corrective actions to assist students in graduating from high school.
• (b) Corrective actions that may be taken must be based on research on graduation rates and on reports of individual students related to:
• (A) The student’s attendance;
• (B) The student’s behavior at school;
• (C) The student’s academic or skill progress; and
• (D) Any other factors identified by the State Board of Education by rule. (3) The department shall assist school districts that may apply for a grant under this section, that have applied for a grant under this section or that have received a grant under this section, as appropriate, by:
• (a) Providing technical assistance to school districts to ensure that the school districts understand the goals and objectives of the system;
• (b) Assisting school districts in developing expertise in assisting students in graduating from high school and developing a culture that encourages and assists students in graduating from high school;
• (c) Identifying meaningful predictive indicators of high school graduation;
• (d) Developing local communication systems among students, students’ families, educators and community organizations to assist students in graduating from high school;
• (e) Identifying and developing interventions at school, at home and in the community to meet students’ needs; and
• (f) Reviewing existing policies and practices to:
• (A) Expand policies and practices that encourage high school graduation; and
• (B) Eliminate or modify policies and practices that may provide a disincentive to graduate from high school. (4) The amount of each grant awarded under this section shall equal the school district’s ADM as defined in ORS 327.006 × $3. (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules necessary for the administration of the grants described in this section.

The attendance supervisor when notified of a truancy or unexcused absence shall investigate the truancy or nonattendance at school. If the child is not exempt from compulsory school attendance, the attendance supervisor shall proceed as provided in ORS 339.080 and 339.090.

(1) Each district school board shall adopt an attendance notification policy that satisfies the requirements of this section. (2) An attendance notification policy must:

• (a) Be implemented by each school in the school district; and
• (b) Require that each school ensure that a parent or other person in parental relationship to a child is notified by the end of the school day on any day that the child has an unplanned absence. (3) (a) Notification required by subsection (2)(b) of this section must be provided:
• (A) In person;
• (B) Directly by telephone; or
• (C) By any other method identified in writing by the parent or person in parental relationship to the child.
• (b) If a parent or other person in parental relationship to a child cannot be contacted in person or directly by telephone and another method has not been identified by the parent or person, a message shall be left for the parent or person, if possible. (4) Notice of the child’s absence shall be provided to the attendance supervisor, who shall proceed as provided in ORS 339.055, if:
• (a) Notification is not provided in person or directly by telephone; and
• (b) The parent or other person in parental relationship to the child has not confirmed within the timeline established by the attendance notification policy that the parent or person has received notification.

(1)  Except as provided in ORS 339.030, in case any parent or other person in parental relation fails to send any child under the control of the parent or other person to the public school, the attendance supervisor, within 24 hours after notification from the proper authority of the failure, shall give formal written notice in person or by registered or certified mail to the parent or other person.

(2)  The notice required by subsection (1) of this section must inform the parent or other person in parental relation that:

• (a)  The child must appear at the public school on the next school day following the receipt of the notice.
• (b)  Regular attendance at school must be maintained during the remainder of the school year.
• (c)  The parent or other person in parental relation has the right to request:
• (A)  For a child who does not have an individualized education program, an evaluation to determine if the child should have an individualized education program; or

• (B)  For a child who has an individualized education program, a review of the individualized education program.

  (3)  At the same time notice is given to the parent or other person, the attendance supervisor shall notify the superintendent or principal, as suitable, of the fact of the notice. The superintendent or principal shall notify the attendance supervisor of any failure on the part of the parent or other person to comply with the notice.

  (4)  If the child who is the subject of a notice under subsection (1) of this section is a youth offender on parole or probation, at the same time notice is given to the parent or other person, the attendance supervisor shall notify the child’s parole or probation officer of the child’s absence.

The attendance supervisor shall determine whether the parent or other person given written notice of attendance requirements has complied with the notice. If the attendance supervisor determines that the parent or other person has failed to comply, the attendance supervisor, within three days after having knowledge of such failure or after being notified thereof, shall notify the district superintendent.