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 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 also 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.
- OSSE will conduct a 2024-25 school year enrollment audit. LEAs will be responsible for entering and certifying that enrollment data is accurate, valid and complete.
- A DC Residency Verification Form is required of all students enrolling in a District public and public charter schools regardless of residency verification status. LEAs shall upload all residency forms and supporting residency documents to their enrollment audit folder in Box by the LEA e-file.
- 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.
- 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.
Key Resources
- 2024-25 Instructional Day and Calendars Guidance
- Attendance and Truancy Resources for Schools
- 2023-24 School Year Attendance Reporting (includes mid-year attendance briefs and data files)
- 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
- Office of Enrollment and Residency Handbook (School Year 2024-25)
- Residency Verification Forms
- Residency Verification Webinar
Key Dates & Deadlines
- Sept. 26, 2024 – 9 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. – SY24-25 McKinney-Vento Fall Professional Development for Homeless Liaisons
- Oct. 7, 2024 – Enrollment Data Freeze
- Oct. 8-10, 2024 – Review and make corrections to SIS to ensure all students are listed in EACCA
- Oct. 11, 2024 – Head of School certifies data in EACCA that all students are listed
- Oct. 25, 2024 – Submit all OST tickets for enrollment audit and Child Count issues that LEA is unable to resolve
- Nov. 12, 2024 – LEA resolve and correct data directly in the LEA SIS and Special Programs
- Nov. 15, 2024 – Head of School certifies data in EACCA that all data from LEA SIS and Child Count is accurate, valid and complete
- Dec. 2, 2024 – LEAs final opportunity to submit documentation for review to resolve residency issues in EACCA
- Dec. 12, 2024 – LEA can view determinations for any final documentation submitted in the EACCA
- Dec. 13, 2024 – Head of School certifies data in EACCA that all students are listed
- Dec. 20, 2024 – LEA Data Anomaly Appeals for unresolved OST tickets submitted by Oct. 25