(SAE Indicators)
Early detection of attendance patterns by school staff through the SAE Indicators can prevent chronic absenteeism and change a trajectory of poor school attendance. Early interventions by a caring adult are enhanced by Attending to Student Absenteeism:TWO by TEN (ATSA: TWO by TEN) where there is a moderate level of concern. Where there is a high level of concern detected, the SAE Indicators will signal the need for internal school resources and support. Where there is an extreme level of concern detected, schools will need to engage and mobilize multi-agency community responses. A school staff can use the SAE Indicators starting with any variable and then proceed to the other variables. For example, a school staff could notice a lot of tardiness and then look at other behaviours, absenteeism, mobility, health and achievement to determine the level of concern.
| Variable | Indicators | Question | Response Options | Weighting | Score |
| Mobility | Student transition or student is new to school | Has the student attended the current school for at least a year or more? | Yes No, new to this school | 0 1 | |
| Previous history of absenteeism | Chronic absenteeism (>10%) | What was the student’s attendance rate in the past year? | 90 – 100% or <20 days absent per year (Tier1) 80%-90% or 20 to 40 days absent per year (Tier 2) 80% or more that 40 days per year (Tier 3) | 0 1 2 | |
| Behaviours | Tardiness | What was the student’s tardiness rate in the past year? | Less than 20 lates/yr (Tier1) 20 to 40 lates per year (Tier 2) more that 40 lates per year (Tier 3) | 0 .5 1 | |
| Incident reports | How often in the past year has the student had incident reports for behaviours? | 0 – 1 times 2 – 3 times More than 3 times | 0 .5 1 | ||
| Suspensions | How often has the student been suspended in the past year? | 0 – 1 time 2 – 3 times More than 3 times | 0 .5 1 | ||
| Student Achievement | Literacy | Have the student’s English marks been declining or failing? | No Yes | 0 1 | |
| Numeracy | Have the student’s Math marks been declining or failing? | No Yes | 0 1 | ||
| Health | Physical health (e.g. asthma, dental, sleep) | What best describes the student’s physical health? | consistency healthy usually healthy occasionally healthy always unhealthy | 0 .5 1 2 | |
| Suspected Mental Health * | To what extent do you suspect a mental health concern for the student? | no concern sometimes concerned often concerned always concerned | 0 .5 1 2 | ||
| Suspected trauma ** | To what extent do you suspect that the student has experienced trauma? | no concern sometimes concerned often concerned always concerned and diagnosed ACEs | 0 .5 .5 1 | ||
| Suspected Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) *** | To what extent do you suspect that the student has experienced ACEs? | no concern sometimes concerned often concerned always concerned and diagnosed ACEs | 0 .5 .5 1 | ||
| Score | Solution Level | Suggested action | |||
| Score of 0 – 5 Moderate concern | ATSA:TWO by TEN | Attending To Student Absenteeism: TWO by TEN (ATSA:TWO by TEN) will develop connections to a caring adult and strengthen protective factors. | |||
| Score of 6 – 9 High concern | ATSA:TWO by TEN plus school board resource | Help student engage with school board resource through ATSA:TWO by TEN in order to provide additional support along with connections to a caring adult | |||
| Score of 10-14 Extreme concern | Multi-agency action required | Collaboration with multiple community agencies will support and direct the protective factors for the student. While ATSA:TWO by TEN can be helpful, the complexity of the situation requires more than what a school board can provide on its own. | |||
*Suspected Mental Health
If any one of the following statements is true for a student, there may be a suspected mental health concern:
- Same age peers do not exhibit similar behaviours
- Disproportion Intensity and frequency of behaviours (happen often, not match the situation, seems sad for long periods of time, worries about making mistakes, avoids certain situations)
- Disruption – level of interference with activities of daily living – does it prevent them from doing things they enjoy (no longer doing art, quit hockey, peers not including in play)
- Duration – does not disappear over time as expected
- Distress – unexpected level of distress
** Trauma “ is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.”(American Psychological Association)
*** Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) The 3 types of ACEs include:
Abuse – physical, emotional, sexual
Neglect – physical, emotional
Household Dysfunction- mental illness, mother treated violently, divorce, incarcerated relatives, substance abuse
| Rationale Descriptions for SAE Indicators | |||
| The following table provides rationale for each variable. The rationale is based upon findings from the literature as well as consultation/findings from education professionals. | |||
| Indicator | Rationale | Support | Notes |
| Mobility school transitions (particularly SK) | Mobility is correlated with absenteeism | Smith, Ashley A (2019) , Ehrlich, Stacy B (2014) Attendance Works, Healthy Schools Campaign (2015), Miller, Luke C. & Amanda Johnson (2016) | students in foster care have high mobility and often high chronic absenteeism |
| History of absenteeism Chronic absenteeism | History of absenteeism is correlated with future absenteeism rates | Baltimore Education Research Consortium(2011), Ehrlich, Stacy B (2014) | Chronic absenteeism of 20 days or more per year is early indictor of non-graduation and future absenteeism |
| Behaviours Tardiness | Behaviours are correlated with absenteeism | Romero, Maria Jose(2011) ,Gottfried, Michael A.(2011), Quarles, Daniel (2011) | Students tardy 2 days or more per month in SK and Grade 1 are 10x more likely to be chronically absent and widens achievement gaps |
| Behaviours office referrals, suspensions | Suspensions are correlated with absenteeism | West, Thomas C (2013), Brown, Robert S. et al (2020) | ABCs of early warning indicators – Attendance Behavior Course failure; 1 suspension in grade school predictor of no post secondary education |
| Achievement Literacy & Numeracy | Achievement is correlated with absenteeism | California School Boards Association (2010), Baltimore Education Research Consortium(2011), Ehrlich, Stacy B (2014), | Absenteeism impacts student achievement |
| Physical Health asthma, dental | Physical health is correlated with absenteeism | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2016), Lindsey & Benjamin Zablotsky (2018) , Allison, Mandy M & Elliott Attisha,(2019) | Absenteeism impacts health for life time. Developmental disabilities increases chronic absenteeism. |
| Mental Health trauma, well being/wellness | Mental health is correlated with absenteeism | American Academy of Pediatricians 2019, Black, Lindsey I. & Benjamin Zablotsky (2018), Australian Children Foundation (2010) | School related anxiety can cause school avoidance and absenteeism. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) correlated to absenteeism |
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