GPRA 3.2 Chronic absenteeism rate of students in 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades

Definition. Average daily attendance (ADA) is typically used by school districts to measure school attendance and it is required under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. Researchers have identified that chronic absenteeism, or those students who miss 10 percent or more of school days, is a strong predictor for academic risk and school dropout (see literature review, below). For GPRA 3, Promise Neighborhoods should collect the average daily attendance and chronic absenteeism rates for 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades in each of the target Promise Neighborhood schools.

This data comes from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) (administrative data).

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Navigators (High School):

Navigators is a wrap-around support program for Alaska Native youth administered by the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Over the past several years program staff has been blending evidence-based youth development curriculum with an approach that fits the community and culture. There are several aspects to the program including weekly Compass gatherings (community building check-ins), a youth commission which develops and plans their own events as well as attends other events like the National Council of American Indians mid-year meeting, and academic support. The Navigators program also strives to strengthen the network of family support by hosting events and opportunities for families to connect with students and each other.

Chronic absenteeism rates appear to be substantially higher than in previous years, more than doubling even pre-COVID numbers. AASB data staff has reached out to the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEED) to understand what this looks like across the state and if this is data entry or analysis error. An update will be shared as soon as more information is received.

STEPS AK focus is creating a positive school climate, cultural safety, and making sure that there is a trauma engaged and family focused approach, including strong relationships with students and their families.

Prior to Covid-19, we had done some work in the middle school to better understand absenteeism in the middle school. We do know that in Alaska, many students are engaged in family- and community- centric activities such as subsistence harvesting and fishing, cultural events and processes that may contribute to missing more school. In addition, students must travel for sports, often missing many days of school. This year there seems to be a significant increase in health related absences both with students and employees.

The chronic absenteeism group in Juneau was disbanded during Covid-19 and things are still not back to business as usual. It is hard to understand the unique factors that impact attendance and absenteeism especially with the extreme data that was reported under chronic absenteeism this year.

One solution is reported on under this GPRA:

Through acquiring additional funding and expanding partnerships with Sealaska Heritage Institute, Hydaburg Schools, and others, the Navigators program has increased services, tripling their target reach this year. The program seems to have resonated with districts; offering culturally-centered youth development programming that embeds academic support and wrap-around services for students and families is aligned with the Whole Child approach in a way that most programs aren’t able to achieve.

Tlingit and Haida plans to continue to expand the Navigators program and support adoption and cultural adaptations of evidence-based youth development programming across the region.

We will continue to work with schools using the school climate data and dig into the unique situations for each school.

We will work with AK DEED to better understand the data from this year that looks so different than prior years.