Chief of Student Services and Campus Support, Telluance Graham, wants to impact student attendance, and he knows exactly how he wants to increase it. Currently, the district’s attendance rate is at about 90 percent but Graham believes it’s possible to increase that number. He believes that 93 percent is reasonable and achievable.
“The goal is to go about one percent each year. That’s an extreme goal, normally. We’re going two almost three percent,” explains Graham.
It's also Superintendent, Dr. T. Lamar Goree's goal—a goal he has publicly stated at the Board Meeting last Monday where he presented enrollment data and attendance data.
Graham and the Director of Students, Alicia Bradley, believe the goal is achievable by tweaking the culture of a district, using the resources of Student Services and Campus Support. The plan includes enlisting the assistance of campus principals and attendance clerks.
“We are always looking at data. We use a software called RaaWee, that can help us identify students before it gets to the point of truancy court,” says Graham.
“RaaWee sends out letters at a certain point [when] the students have absences. So at three absences, at six, RaaWee emails parents,” added Bradley. “At each one of their absences, it is either providing a letter or campuses making a phone call or they are getting an attendance contract. So we are doing everything possible to ensure that the kids are in school 90 percent of the time,” says Bradley.
Traditionally, school districts would issue students reprimand letters to get students in classroom seats. In 2024, that’s not as effective.
“If you look at some of the data from the government stating negative information and threats that we sent to parents of students that are not coming to school really doesn’t work,” Graham emphasized.
Parents receive good news and positive outreach, too, from the district so that they are not just overloaded with negative messages from campuses and the administration level about their students.
“As a truancy prevention measure, it is providing letters or phone calls. Doing everything possible to see to it that students are at school ninety percent of the time and they are not going to truancy court,” said Bradley.
Also, a part of the prevention and outreach plan is to get campus support, which will add a personal touch.
“The person that has the most influence is not the truancy specialist but the principal and the teacher. Those are the two people that can get kids to school. I can show up at a campus. I can show up at a home tomorrow. Knock on a door and say to a mother, ‘Please bring your kid to school’ She doesn’t know me, but she knows Mr.Byrd. She knows the science teacher. If they show up. If they call, it has much more of an impact,” Graham said, laying out the process.
Aside from campus outreach, campus culture is also important. Schools need to have an atmosphere that students want to attend daily. For Graham, it is about cultivating a culture.
“We believe that culture is holistically important to a student. Culture is much more important than consequences,” explained Goree. “When you only use consequences to make threats to try to get students to come to school or to scare it works on a small percentage of students. But when I create a culture we give them a reason to come to school.”
Creating a culture means making a school a place where students want to wake up and make the decision and effort to get up, get dressed, and attend.
“So when mom says I don’t feel like taking you to school well I am having science club today and I enjoy science club or robotics club, and I want to be there, and I know if I don’t go to school I can’t be on this field trip I’m in the band I’m in the dance team or whatever it is. These are opportunities to enrich the school environment and enrich the school.”
Beyond the personal outreach or campus culture, there could indeed be other issues preventing a student from attending.
“Our department, Student Services does a job of identifying and being aware of barriers to make sure we provide the support,” Bradley. “Whether it be support from our department, counseling services, or health services, there may be an illness. So our entire department is involved.”
Any obstacle or challenge a student may have the department is able and resourceful enough to sure up for students.