Districtwide attendance has increased by 1.41% year over year, partly due to the newly implemented attendance initiative.
Improved attendance boosts student performance and engagement. Additionally, attendance is how schools receive funding, so even a 1% increase means the district gains $4.5 million in additional revenue.
This school year, the district launched an initiative to boost campus attendance through financial incentives that campuses can use for their needs. Schools receive funds if they meet specific attendance goals at the end of the first semester and the end of the year. Money will be distributed based on overall increases in the district's Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Each school receives support tailored to its individual needs.
This year, ADA rose from 91.92% last school year to 93.33%, surpassing the 92.92% goal set for this semester. Sixty campuses received monetary distributions for boosting their ADA by at least 1%. Some of these campuses used creative strategies to enhance student attendance, and in February, funds were awarded per student to support classroom needs such as supplies and instructional materials. The funds must be used before July 1.
Second semester earnings will be distributed in the following year's campus budget and should be used within the next calendar year. Throughout this process, campus leaders have received specialized training focused on attendance strategies.