“For students to be successful in school, they first have to be in school.”
With that simple statement, Jessica Sprick and Randy Sprick launch a compelling case for prioritising student attendance. This comprehensive guide provides school and district-level administrators and teams with the background information, strategies, and tools needed to implement a multitiered approach to improving attendance and preventing chronic absence. The authors use the results of their work in schools throughout the USA to dispel the myth that educators have little control over student attendance and provide success stories from primary and secondary schools that have reversed long-standing patterns of absenteeism.
Citing extensive research, Sprick and Sprick share details about the shocking prevalence of chronic absence in U.S. schools and its effects on students, teachers, families, and the school community. They explain how to replace punitive approaches to absenteeism with effective methods that begin with universal supports and continue through Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions for students with more persistent problems. Specifically, they explain how to:
Equipped with the information and tools presented in this book, educators can ensure wise use of staff and other resources - and create a culture of attendance that is the foundation of successful schools.
Acknowledgments viii
Introduction 1
Conclusion 203
Appendix A 207
Appendix B 214
References 217
Index 223
About the Authors 231
"School Leader’s Guide to Tackling Attendance Challenges is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections."
- Midwest Book Review