Oregon SD Improves Attendance with Help from Software

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 10/02/19

Grants Pass School District 7 has improved absenteeism within the last two years with the help of a software program that tracks enrollment and notifies parents of absences.

The Oregon school district recently compiled attendee record data and according to their findings, absenteeism has improved by 3.7% — from 14.3% in 2017 to 10.6% this year. The improvement equates to around 220 students showing better attendance.

Director of Secondary Education Trisha Evens told a local news station that five years ago the district noticed absenteeism was high from a state report and implemented a plan to change it.

In 2018, the district began using software called School Innovations and Achievements that tracks absences and notifies parents.

Evens says they meet with students who are at a high risk for absences and their parents. The school discusses with them what may be going on that would make them absent from school. Then they set up a program with incentives to encourage better attendance.

“It really does start with that intentional relationship that we’re trying to build as the adults with the students that come in.” Evens said.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at ymarquez@1105media.com.

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