Priority Overview
Schools are required to collect and report daily student attendance and are urged to implement evidence-based strategies to help address chronic absenteeism. OSSE is committed to providing community members, school officials, and policymakers with timely attendance data which enables them to respond to trends and changes.
For questions, please contact Rachel Sadlon at [email protected]
Top 5 Things to Know
- OSSE collects attendance for all students in a school, regardless of age, and compiles that data in an annual public report.
- OSSE and a network of collaborators facilitate the Bridge to High School Data Exchange to equip participating high schools with key student-level data for their incoming ninth-graders quickly, securely and consistently. The Data Exchange has served as a launch pad for members to scale effective practices, develop middle-to-high school partnerships, and elevate to key citywide leaders specific infrastructure and policy barriers that need to be addressed.
- OSSE disseminates a Resource Guide that includes information on what parents or legal guardians can do to prevent truancy, an explanation of the District of Columbia’s laws and regulations related to absenteeism and truancy, and a list of organizations that can help families address chronic absenteeism and truancy.
- Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10 percent of all school days, including both excused and unexcused absences.
- OSSE plans to continue to publish two Mid-Year Attendance Briefs. The information is provided for community members, school officials, and policymakers with data throughout the school year to respond to trends and changes in a timely manner so that the entire District can work together toward the goal of having every student attend school every day.
Key Resources
- 2024-25 Instructional Day and Calendars Guidance
- Attendance and Truancy Resources for Parents
- Attendance and Truancy Resources for Schools
- Using Data to Improve School Attendance - This OSSE webinar reviews best practices for effectively using data at your school or LEA to improve student attendance.
- Every Day Counts! Task Force
Key Dates & Deadlines
- 45 days before start of school year – School Calendar Submission: submit instructional and non-instructional hours
- Sept. 26, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - SY24-25 McKinney-Vento Fall Professional Development for Homeless Liaisons
- Fall 2024 – SY 2023-24 Attendance Report Released
- Daily during school year – Attendance Reporting: report and validate attendance information
- Spring/Summer - SY 2024-25 Mid-Year Attendance Brief