Attendance Improvement

A TTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT P ACKAGE
2003 The State of South Australia, Department of Education and Childrens Services Produced by DECS Publishing Banksia Avenue Seacombe Gardens SA 5047 Edited by Gunta Groves Designed by WDM Design & Advertising, Unley Printed by CM Digital, Adelaide ISBN 07308 7720 5 R2213
II
ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PACKAGE
TO:
School Principals Preschool Directors District Superintendents Managers Support services
RE:
The departments priority to improve student attendance rates reflects the findings of international research that demonstrate a strong correlation between student learning, longer term life outcomes and attendance at school. To this end, the Ministers Task Force for Absenteeism has been working since June 2002 to identify attendance issues and develop strategies to support government schools in improving student attendance. All schools will develop Attendance Improvement Plans by the end of 2003 to assist them to analyse, develop, implement and review strategies to improve student attendance in partnership with their communities. The Attendance Improvement Package has been developed to assist schools in this process and provides practical information to support recording, reporting, analysis and planning. The package provides guidance only; schools will work with their communities to develop plans that are responsive to local needs. From 2004, all schools will be expected to analyse attendance data in ways pertinent to their site and report on this in their annual report. A fundamental part of this strategy is the work that government schools and preschools undertake with their communities to ensure that parents and caregivers understand the importance of attendance every school day from the time that their children are first enrolled in one of DECS educational services. An additional $500 000 funding has been allocated per annum over the next four years to support attendance initiatives for all schools and to target additional resources to Action Zones with the highest rates of absence. New information will be distributed to schools and preschools as work progresses during 2003. Consultation will occur in relation to the draft DECS Attendance Policy during first term and work will occur to determine the involvement of preschools in this strategy. The Task Force for Absenteeism will oversee the implementation of the strategy and continue to work on complex issues such as chronic non-attendance. I would like to thank members of the Task Force and the working groups for their excellent effort and look forward to working with schools to improve student attendance.
Steve Marshall CHIEF EXECUTIVE January 2003
III
Acknowledgments
The following quality in schools support tools in this document have been reproduced with permission: Affinity Diagram, Multivoting and Interrelationship Digraph: The memory jogger II: A pocket guide of tools for continuous improvement and effective planning. M Brassard and D Ritter, GOAL/QPC, Salem, NH, 1994 (with permission from GOAL/QPC, Salem, NH). Fishbone Diagram: Resource kit for information management and analysis. Quality Assurance Unit, Department for Education and Childrens Services, 1996. Five Whys: Tool time. D Langford, Langford International Inc, Molt MT, 1999 (copyright permission is granted by Langford International, Inc for printing the Five Whys tool in the new DECS publication Attendance improvement package). For further information about Tool time: tel 4066282227, fax 4066282228, e-mail <LII@langfordlearning.com>. PDSA Cycle: Quality and improvement in schools and preschools program (Phase 2). Department of Education, Training and Employment and Australia Quality Council, 2002.
IV
CONTENTS
1 Introduction
Expectations of schools Importance of regular attendance Attendance statistics from term 2, 2002 Early warning signs Encouraging attendanceBenefits for all
2 3 Attendance policy School Attendance Improvement Plans
1.1 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.3
Where to start Quality Improvement Framework Process guidelines Scaffold for the Attendance Improvement Plan
4 Quality in schools support tools
3.1 3.2 3.5 3.12
PDSA Cycle Five Whys Fishbone Diagram Attendance as a process within the school system Affinity Diagram Multivoting Interrelationship Digraph Deployment flow charts Attendance improvement strategies Student attendance profile
5 Examples of school policies and procedures
4.1 4.3 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.9 4.10 4.13 4.17 4.18
Richmond Primary School Clovelly Park Primary School Freeling Primary School and Child Parent Centre Kadina Memorial High School Reynella East High School
6 Information for parents/caregivers
5.1 5.3 5.10 5.13 5.15
Frequently asked questions about attendance Did you know...?
6.1 6.2
Whole school practice case studies
The curriculum is the key at Lincoln Gardens Using benchmarks at Reynella Primary School There are no exceptions at Freeling Aboriginal Education action research case studies: Port Adelaide Primary School Plans are on the move to address attendance at Gawler High School Benchmarks count at Seaford 612 Relevance is the order for students at risk at Edward John Eyre
8 Support Services
7.1 7.2 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.11 7.12
Department of Education and Childrens Services district support services South Australian Police Family and Youth Services
9 Using EDSAS
8.1 8.1 8.1
Introduction Absences for the year Assisted (not School Card) student absences ATSI students Dates of individual ATSI student absences Dates of individual student absences Archived absences for individual students Dates of individual student class absences Dates of individual student class comments Non-English speaking background (NESB) student absences School Card (SCH) student absences Student absences Student absences (archived and current) Student absences by family Student absences by class Student absences totalled Student archived absences Student class absences Student consecutive absences Student total attendance Summary of archived student absences Summary of student absences Students with disabilities (SWD) absences EDSAS reports Codes relating to student attendance Recording absences Accessing attendance reports
9.1 9.5 9.5 9.6 9.8 9.9 9.12 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.24 9.25 9.26 9.26 9.27 9.28 9.29 9.30 9.32 9.34 9.36
VI
1. INTRODUCTION
Expectation of schools Importance of regular attendance Attendance statistics from term 2, 2002 Early warning signs Encouraging attendanceBenefits for all
EXPECTATIONS OF SCHOOLS
The South Australian Government has identified improved attendance as a priority for Department of Education and Childrens Services (DECS) schools. This package of information has been developed to support schools and their communities to improve the attendance of students from the time of enrolment.
Attendance Improvement Plans
The Attendance Improvement Package will support every school to improve attendance rates. All sites will be expected to develop an Attendance Improvement Plan by the end of the 2003 school year. The Attendance Improvement Plan will describe attendance outcomes (including setting targets for attendance), strategies to achieve the outcomes, and how the analysis of attendance data can inform the continuing improvement in attendance rates. In the 2004 school year all schools will be expected to analyse attendance data in ways pertinent to their site and report on this in their annual report. This process will then be an annual expectation.
Intervention
Although there will be individual situations for particular students, schools will be expected to increase their level of intervention when a student has been away for ten or more days in a year. All intervention strategies are to be documented. Active involvement of students in joint planning to address attendance issues is central to intervention by schools. All schools should work broadly with their communities to promote the importance of regular attendance so that it is valued and understood by all. An increased level of understanding will be reflected in improved attendance rates.
IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR ATTENDANCE
The likelihood of success in learning is strongly linked to regular attendance and appropriate participation in educational programs. It is crucial that children and students develop habits of regular attendance at an early age, even from the time they are enrolled in a preschool setting. Children and students who have poor patterns of attendance are at risk of not achieving their educational, social or psychological potential and are disadvantaged in the quality of choices they are able to make in later life situations. These learners may: be socially isolated place themselves at risk of harm during times of absence be more likely to be involved in socially unacceptable and/or illegal activities
INTRODUCTION
1.1
have gaps in their knowledge and understanding of basic concepts feel insecure in the preschool or school environment be more likely to leave school early be over-represented in the juvenile justice system be the victims of bullying and harassment. Once learners have begun to absent themselves from preschool or school, and the initial cause of this remains undetected or unexplored, it is likely that the pattern of absence will continue and escalate through the students subsequent school career. Late arrival at school through the primary years is often related to non-attendance during secondary school.
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS FROM TERM 2, 2002
The following data have been collected from DECS sites during term 2, 2002. The information highlights some of the characteristics of absenteeism and may be helpful in guiding initial thinking about improving attendance in schools. The overall attendance rate was 91.1% in 2002. In term 2, 10.1% of students were absent for more than 10 days. Student absences in years 2, 3, 4 and 5 were between 7% and 7.2%. Student absence rates were lowest in years 3 and 4. Reception students had the highest absence rate of all primary students at 9.1%. Absentee rates for secondary school level are higher than for primary school. The highest rate of absenteeism is in year 10. Girls have a higher rate (9.0%) of absence than boys (8.8%). Aboriginal student absences are 17.2%. School Card holders have a rate of absenteeism of 10.7%. Absences increased from week 1 to week 5, were fairly consistent in weeks 6 to 8, and increased in weeks 9 and 10. Absences were highest for all days in week 10. Absences occurred most frequently on Fridays. More boys were absent on Fridays than girls. Almost 25% of Aboriginal student absences occurred on a Friday. Country students and School Card holders had more absences on a Friday. More students had unexplained absences in secondary school than primary.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS
Early intervention for students at risk of developing irregular patterns of attendance is crucial in order for these patterns to be reversed. Indicators of students at risk of developing these patterns include the following: frequent lateness leaving school early
1.2
INTRODUCTION
missing lessons being the victim of bullying and harassment learning difficulties many days absent, either through illness, unexplained reasons or family commitments unresolved issues with school personnel (staff or students) social or emotional issues difficulties at times of transition health issues experienced by the student and/or family members. Intervention strategies need to be put in place regardless of the age of the student. A sites commitment to improving attendance will be enhanced if the culture of the school promotes and values curriculum-based intervention strategies, as well as individual strategies for particular students. Programs such as protective behaviours, peer mediation, anti-harassment, peer support and buddy systems are all appropriate for intervening with students displaying poor attendance behaviour.
ENCOURAGING ATTENDANCEBENEFITS FOR ALL
Regular attendance has significant benefits for students, educators, parents/caregivers and the community. The following information can be used with the relevant stakeholders to help development of shared understanding about attendance.
Benefits of regular attendance for students
Getting the maximum benefit from school will optimise your life choices. Attending school regularly will develop skills and attitudes that will help you to be successful in later life. These include self-discipline, punctuality, being organised and sticking to routines. Regular attendance leads to an increased likelihood of being successful at school. Attending regularly leads to making friends and learning to maintain relationships over a length of time. You will learn social skills necessary to live and work successfully with others. You are safer at school than on the streets. People will be more positive about you if you have a good attendance record. Attending school provides opportunities for socialising with your friends. The more you attend, the more you learn, and this will probably mean you will like school more.
INTRODUCTION
1.3
Benefits of regular student attendance for educators
You are able to fulfil your responsibilities to the students in your care. There will be improved learning outcomes. You will enjoy less complex management of the learning program as you will not need to re-teach parts of it to students who were away when you introduced something new. There will be less complex classroom management because you will not need to help students re-establish relationships following periods of absence. You will be able to help students develop habits such as punctuality, self-discipline and organisation which will be of value to them in everyday situations. Resources currently being spent on following up absences can be spent on the classroom program.
Benefits of regular student attendance for parents/caregivers
By encouraging regular attendance you will know that you have positively influenced you childs education. You will know that your child is safe at school and not at risk elsewhere. You will know that your children are learning more appropriate things than if they were truanting. Regular attendance by your child will ensure that you have fewer contacts with government agencies. You will have peace of mind in knowing that children who attend school regularly are less likely to break the law and go to jail in later life. You will enjoy more structured family routines. Your child is more likely to finish year 12 and have broader opportunities. You will avoid a fine or legal action due to your childs poor attendance at school.
Benefits of regular student attendance for the community
As a member of the community and a participant in this initiative, you will have contributed to the next generation of community leaders. Through addressing this initiative, you have an opportunity to work in partnership with schools to achieve a shared goal. You will be supporting young people in being less likely to be involved in crime. You will be helping to ensure that young people are spending their days safely. The community as a whole will experience less cost, both financially and socially. Regular attendance by students will promote an increased level of safety for all.
1.4
INTRODUCTION
2. ATTENDANCE POLICY
The DECS Attendance Policy will be distributed in 2003 for inclusion in this package following consultation with stakeholders.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
2.1
2.2
ATTENDANCE POLICY
3. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Where to start Quality Improvement Framework Process guidelines Scaffold for the Attendance Improvement Plan
WHERE TO START
The following suggestions provide a starting point for discussion about attendance at your school and what your Attendance Improvement Plan could include. Begin with a staff group working through the Five Whys process, which is one of the support tools in section 4. Ask: Why should we be concerned about student attendance?. Consider the level of understanding and importance staff members place on attendance, and how you would raise the level of understanding and importance. Then, to develop the Attendance Improvement Plan, consider the following questions.
How much do you know about attendance in your school?
What data do you have? Refer to your annual report data and trends over the past few years and summary reports at the end of the year (using ED049). What other data would you need? What EDSAS reports would be useful? How does student voice contribute to your knowledge about attendance?
Is there a consistent understanding and use of the absence codes across your school? How do you know?
What codes do you use? How do you get to know which codes to use? Are absence codes part of the information passed on to new staff members?
What are the attendance trends and specific attendance issues for your site?
Is there a particular year level where attendance data are a concern? Is the attendance of a particular group of students a concern? Are there individual students whose attendance is of concern? Which benchmarks will you choose to assist the identification of concerns about attendance (eg number of days absent; number of Us, Fs or Is). Or will you use combinations of absence codes? At what stage is a students absence a concern (eg number of days absent, pattern of absences, or combination of days absent and level of achievement)? Why?
What messages is your school giving to its community about attendance?
What do people think about the importance of attendance? How do people get these ideas? How do you give these messages?
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PLANS
3.1
How well do your attendance procedures work?
How do you follow up absences? What do you do about late arrivals? How do you know about a students lesson attendance? Is there consistency in follow-up by educators? How do you communicate with parents/caregivers about attendance?
Are your procedures reactive or proactive?
Do you wait until absenteeism becomes regular before taking action? How many staff members always give the benefit of the doubt to irregular attenders?
How regularly does your school analyse attendance data?
Once a year? Every term? Each week? Every day?

How do you follow up poor attendance?
Do you discuss reasons for poor attendance with students? Do you contact families? Do you use referrals to other professionals and agencies? Is there interagency involvement? Do you use a case management system?
How do you document intervention for individual students?
Pen and paper? EDSAS? Student files? Check sheet? How is the information transferred between educators and year to year?
Are staff members skilled in data analysis?
Are staff members skills in this area at a rudimentary level or at a sophisticated level? Do they know the questions to ask to analyse data?
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK
Quality improvement is about focusing on what you are currently doing in order to identify opportunities to improve what you are doing. This requires evaluation of what is currently happening, identification of opportunities for improvement, monitoring and further evaluation of the effectiveness of the changes you have implemented. Problems occurring within a system should be viewed as an opportunity for improvement and not crises to be managed.
3.2
The PDSA Cycle provides a quality improvement framework: PlanDoStudyAct. This cycle provides a convenient and appropriate framework for developing your Attendance Improvement Plan. The PDSA Cycle is a four-step method used to break down a system into its relative processes so that: the system can be studied data can be collected information about the system can be analysed causes for problems discovered theories for improvement to the system can be implemented results of the impact of changes to the system can be studied. The four steps in the cycle are as follows: 1. Plan for improvements after studying the present situation. The collection of qualitative and quantitative data is an important part of this step. 2. Do what you have planned. 3. Study the result(s). 4. Act upon the result(s). After having worked through the four-step process, return to step one. The diagram below shows the four steps and the approximate proportion of time and effort which should go into each step.
Processes within the PDSA Cycle
Act Study Plan Do
The PDSA cycle has a number of steps within each of the parts of the cycle. The process outlined below shows a number of activities in each step. Use them to direct your thinking.
3.3
Plan
1. What is the current situation about student attendance in this school? Why do we want to improve attendance? Do we want to improve the attendance of all students or particular groups of students? Do we want to decrease the number of unexplained absences in the school? What opportunities does focusing on attendance provide for us? How does focusing on attendance relate to the schools vision, mission and values? 2. Select the team. Who are the key stakeholders? (Remember to include students.) Who should be involved in the improvement of attendance? How will the improvement team operate? How will we document the teams progress? 3. What is the current situation? What data sets are needed? How will they be collected? How will they be displayed? What is the prediction? 4. Analyse the causes. What are the possible causes of variation? What additional data do we need? What are the actual causes of variation? 5. Develop a theory for improvement. What are the possible actions we could take in relation to attendance? How will we prevent the causes of variation? What are the proposed solutions and/or processes? What is our action plan? What do we predict will happen when we implement our plan? What documentation is required to support our plan?
Do
6. Implement the improvement. To what extent are we following the plan? Are we capturing data as we go? To what extent is everyone involved as intended?
3.4
Study
7. Study the results. What are the results for our clients and school? To what extent did our actions lead to improvement(s)? To what extent was our plan a success? What did we learn from implementing our plan? What would we do differently next time?
Act
8. Standardise the improvement. What documentation is required to support the improvement? How will the improvements be embedded in everyday practice? How will we continue to monitor performance? How will we share what we have learned? 9. Establish future plans. What more do we need to learn? What should we be improving next? When will we review this improvement activity?
PROCESS GUIDELINES
The following guidelines are designed to support schools in developing an Attendance Improvement Plan using the PDSA Cycle. There are two versions of the guidelines you may like to use one of them, or use the ideas to create your own.
3.5
Version 1
3.6
3.7
3.8
Version 2
3.9
3.10
3.11
3.12
4. QUALITY IN SCHOOLS SUPPORT TOOLS

PDSA Cycle Five Whys Fishbone Diagram Attendance as a process within the school system Affinity Diagram Multivoting Interrelationship Digraph Deployment flow charts Attendance improvement strategies Student attendance profile
PDSA CYCLE
Schools are systems with many processes. Thinking about attendance as a key process within the school system can help staff and students to understand and plan for improvement of attendance. Planning for improvement can be considered through the PDSA Cycle. The process below is an example of how the cycle was used by one school.
1. Select the opportunity for improvement
Our goal to improve the attendance of students came about because: There was an imperative to get EDSAS really correct for census details. Flexible arrangements for SACE students were creating complex recording procedures. Staff were not happy about the accuracy of the attendance data. The attendance rates were a worry! Students were disengaging from educational programs.
2. Select the team
The leadership team and the SSO who managed the attendance procedures formed the team. The stakeholders were identified (teachers, students and their parents/caregivers). Staff were consulted about the process for improvement and widely supported our aim to develop consistent and efficient procedures.
3. Study the current situation
We decided to measure and analyse: average weekly attendance of each year level from the past two years and displayed this on graphs the reasons for student absence the attendance patterns of students (05 days, 610 days etc). We mapped the attendance procedures on a flow chart. Our data showed us that: attendance rates were appalling and decreased as students progressed through the school there was an unacceptably high level of unexplained absences reasons condoned by parents/caregivers for absences were not acceptable staff application of the procedures was inconsistent. Improvement was measured as: increased average weekly attendance decreased unexplained absences more efficient process for collecting and following up attendance records.
QUALITY IN SCHOOLS SUPPORT TOOLS
4.1
4. Analyse the causes
Staff members were not consistent in their use of the procedures. Students and their parents/caregivers were not aware of, or following up on, their responsibilities. Some parents/caregivers were not aware of the importance of regular attendance at school. The procedures were time consuming and created a disincentive for staff to be consistent. We used a range of tools to get to this conclusion including a Fishbone Diagram and Interrelationship Digraph.
5. Develop a theory for improvement
Our overall aim was to improve attendance, based on our theory that this would contribute to the success of our major school goal to improve achievement. The steps involved were to: set a target for improvement (95% attendance at each year level) redevelop the deployment flow chart to record and follow up student absences provide ongoing feedback to staff, students and parents/caregivers by a regular communication of progress communicate at staff meetings and assemblies, through the newsletter, and in conversations with parents/caregivers about why regular attendance at school was important identify students for whom intervention is needed and who agree on the intervention.
6. Implement the improvement
We did it and collected and communicated the data as we went.

7. Study the results
At the end of one term we had an 8% increase but we were still below the target of 95% attendance at each year level. (The improvement continued into the next three terms as we standardised and redeveloped the procedures.) Staff were very encouraged by the improvement and were willing to continue the process.
4.2
8. Standardise the improvement
We put the flow charts out for consultation and redeveloped them. We started a process at Governing Council to develop an attendance policy. We sought more efficient ways to produce the attendance record (palm pilot solution), and applied to the Governing Council for the resources.
9. Establish a future plan
As the new procedures are implemented, the process will need to begin again.
FIVE WHYS
The tool
The Five Whys is a tool that helps people understand the meaning of the issue at hand. It helps people to use higher thinking skills and may help them challenge their current situation or problem. The key to the tool is to ask the right question and to create a serious attention to the task. Below are some suggestions that you might use to focus on improving attendance (use only one question): Why is it important to improve attendance at our school? Why should we investigate the rate of attendance at our school? Why is it important to reduce the amount of absenteeism at our school? Why should students attend school regularly? Why should teachers be interested in the regular attendance of their students?
The process
Each person needs a pen and paper. Ask the leading question and each person writes their response on their paper. Keep asking why and writing a response five times. When everyone has written their fifth response: ask each person in turn to read out their fifth response OR ask a person to read out their first response, the next person their second, and so on. Debriefing in this way is important because it helps people to share their understanding.
4.3
Example The leading question: Why is it important to reduce the absenteeism in this school? The five responses of a participant: 1. To improve student access to the curriculum. 2. To increase student knowledge and achievements. 3. To improve their ability to relate to others, and to achieve in later life. 4. So that they can make a positive contribution to society. 5. So that society is more equitable for everyone. Other Whys that have been generated in this exercise To improve the learning time available to students. To establish continuity from lesson to lesson. So that all students have equal opportunities. To improve student outcomes. So that students have a wider range of opportunities in the future. Students develop sound working practices to assist them in their future studies and careers. To improve students self-respect and achievement. To build confidence to take control. To optimise post school options for students. To have self-worth and purpose at school. To ensure sequential learning and therefore success. Lesson continuity builds capacity for success. To improve responsibility of students for their own actions/attendance. To build learning independence. To maximise the potential for students to learn. Provide more consistent and effective learning for all students. To be able to accurately assess the level and needs of students. To improve the quality of work all students do and to be inclusive. Greater contact with teachers. To increase our total intellectual capital. To improve intellectual competition between students. To work on students with needs.
4.4
FISHBONE DIAGRAM
Creating a Fishbone Diagram is a process of identifying cause and effect. It is used here to identify the possible causes and then the root causes of an issue relating to attendance. It supports the involvement of all members of a group contributing their ideas and viewpoints, and helps groups to analyse the causes of potential issues.
Step 1
Be specific about the issue you want to identify possible causes for (eg why students are absent from school or late to school).
Step 2
Write the problem as a question in a box on a large piece of landscaped paper. The question becomes the head of the fish. Draw a backbone and spines from the head of the fish.
Step 3
The group brainstorms all of the big causes for the issue/problem (eg school, family, health, culture, time).
Step 4
For each of the big causes list all the factors contributing to the cause (eg family attitude, routines, values, ). Following the creation of the fishbone, an Affinity Diagram can be created to identify the relationships between the causes. The Affinity Diagram technique is described later in this section. Following is an example of a Fishbone Diagram.
4.5
4.6
FISHBONE DIAGRAM
FAMILY
HEALTH
SCHOOL
Child care Attitude to school Shopping Domestic violence Holidays Funerals Slept in Appointments
Headlice Stress Depression Puberty Cancer Asthma Communicable diseases
Bored Wasting time Dont like teacher Dont value education Not valued as learners Feel they cant be successful
What are the students reasons for absence from school or for late arrival?
FINANCES
CONFLICT
EMBARRASSMENT
No shoes or clothes No equipment No money for lunch No money for petrol No money for excursions
Conflict in yard Conflict outside school Family has an argument Disagree with the school Harassed or bullied
Behind in work Conflict Domestic violence Too late No money No food
ATTENDANCE AS A PROCESS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
In seeking to improve attendance at your school you might first consider your school as a system. Attendance can be viewed as a process and an output of your school system, and an analysis of the system using the following headings and questions will be helpful, especially in steps 1 and 9 in the PDSA Cycle. Values What are our shared beliefs about what is desirable and worthy in life? Mission What is our shared understanding of intentions, purpose and aim of our school system? Vision How would we describe our ideal school system (desired future)? Clients Who benefits from school now and in the future? Outputs What are the products and services we deliver to meet students and families needs? Suppliers Who are the people who contribute goods and services to the school system to assist us to improve attendance processes? Relationships What are the important interactions between people in the school system, in relation to attendance? Inputs What are the products/services we receive from suppliers to assist the school system to support attendance? Processes What are the series of actions that come together in sequence to transform inputs to outputs (eg attendance processes)? Process measures What indicators will we use to measure the effectiveness of attendance processes in the school system (eg attendance rates, follow-up of absences)? Results measures How will we know if we are successful (ie attendance benchmarks)?
AFFINITY DIAGRAM
The creation of an Affinity Diagram is a process used to gather and group ideas about a particular issue or question in a non-judgmental manner. It provides a way of generating a multitude of ideas and/or issues and then organising them in like groups of similar ideas and concepts, in a very short timeframe. The Affinity Diagram can be used in steps 1, 3, 4, 5 and 9 of the PDSA Cycle. Affinity Diagrams encourage creative thinking and allow all participants to be actively and equitably involved in the contribution of ideas and issues. This process can break
4.7
down communication barriers and encourage non-traditional connections among ideas and issues. The process also encourages ownership of the results because members of the group contribute to both the detailed ideas and the general outcome. It is interactive and provides group members with the opportunity to view ideas of others in the team. Ensure that throughout the process all members of the group are able to contribute and that all members of the group are able to see all of the ideas generated. The Affinity Diagram process works best when the group uses a large table so that members are able to move around the table in order to see the ideas generated. An example of the process follows.
Step 1
Phrase the issue for discussion in a question format and write this on a large piece of paper; for example:
What are the potential actions that will improve the attendance rate? Step 2
All members of the group individually brainstorm ideas and/or issues and record these on stick-on notes, one idea per note. Team members then randomly place their notes on the large piece of paper underneath the question.
What are the potential actions that will improve the attendance rate?
Teachers discuss why attendance is important with students and parents/caregivers Parents/caregivers always supply a note
Make roles clear for students, staff and parents/caregivers Make lessons more enjoyable and relevant
Develop individual programs for students who are absent too much Develop a policy
Teachers follow attendance procedures consistently Provide support for students at risk
Students understand their responsibilities Intervene before it gets too late Let parents/caregivers know about their responsibilities
Challenge parents/caregivers when they condone unacceptable absences
Make it easier for teachers to follow up absences
Teachers talk with students about why attendance is poor and what would make a difference
4.8
The ideas listed above are examples only. There would be many more ideas generated in the affinity process than are illustrated here.
Step 3
Without discussion, group members then sort all of these ideas into related groupings or like categories. Continue this sorting process until all members of the group are comfortable with the grouping of ideas.
Step 4
Label each of the groups by writing a heading at the top of each cluster of issues/ideas.
(A) Procedures (B) Policy (C) Curriculum (D) Communication
Parents/caregivers always supply a note
Make roles clear for students, staff and parents/caregivers Students understand their responsibilities
Make lessons more enjoyable and relevant Develop individual programs for students who are absent too much
Let parents/caregivers know about their responsibilities Teachers discuss why attendance is important with students and parents/caregivers Challenge parents/caregivers when they condone unacceptable absences Teachers talk with students about why attendance is poor and what would make a difference
Teachers follow attendance procedures consistently Provide support for students at risk Intervene before it gets too late Make it easier for teachers to follow up absences
Develop a policy
MULTIVOTING
Multivoting is a process used to help select the most important items for a discussion. It assists a group to rank ideas in order of importance and relativity. The group uses Multivoting to gain agreement when the needs of the group are diverse and opinions are variedthis enables all members of the group to support a final idea without opposition. It is a useful process for step 4 of creating the Affinity Diagram. Following is an example of the process.
4.9
Step 1
List the issues that were determined by the Affinity Diagram process (ie the labels given to each of the cluster of issues/ideas).
A B C D
Use letters to identify each cluster of issues/ideas to avoid confusion later on in the process.
Step 2
Each member of the group then records the corresponding letters on a piece of paper and orders the statements from 1 to 4 according to what the individual member sees as most important (ie 1 is least important and 4 is most important).
Step 3
Combine the ordering of the group members; for example:

Member 1 Member 2 Member 3 Member 4 Member 5 Member 6 TOTAL
A B C D
4 3 1 2
3 4 1 2
4 2 1 3
2 3 1 4
4 2 3 1
3 4 1 2
20 18 8 14
The results show that A would be the highest priority. The group would work on this issue first and then deal with the remaining issues as needed.
INTERRELATIONSHIP DIGRAPH
The Interrelationship Digraph is used to determine, analyse and classify the cause and effect relationship that occurs between all of the important issues. This process is used when a group is unsure which of a group of issues has the greatest effect on all of the other issues. It can be used in conjunction with Multivoting to see if the most popular issue is actually the one that has the greatest effect. The process is described below, using the previous Affinity Diagram example.
4.10
Step 1
Record the four main issues/ideas determined in the Affinity Diagram process onto stick-on notes (ie one issue/idea per note). Arrange all of the notes in a circle (as below) on a piece of paper.
C Step 2
Look at the relationship between each of the issues. As a group, look for cause/influence relationships between all of the issues and draw relationship arrows. Choose any of the issues as a starting point (eg A) and ask the following questions of A in relationship to each of the other issues (ie B, C, D): Does a relationship exist between the two issues? Which issue affects which the most? If a relationship exists draw a line between the two. If it does not exist do not draw a line. Decide which cause affects the other the most. If A affects B the most then draw an arrow from A to B. (An outgoing arrow from an issue indicates that it affects the other issue more. The arrow may go only in one direction.) Continue this process for each of the other issues until the diagram looks something like this.
4.11
Step 3
Count up the number of outgoing (a) and incoming (b) arrows. Place these numbers in brackets (a,b) by each of the issues, thus: A (3,0) B (2,1) C (1,2) D (0,3)
Step 4
The group can then rank the causes from highest to lowest by focusing on the number of arrows coming out from each cause. The issue with the highest number of arrows coming out determines the root cause of the problem. In this example it would be issue A. The plan of action developed should address this root cause.
4.12
4.13
4.14
Student
Parent/caregiver
Roll Class Teacher
SSO
Year Level Manager
Student Services
Parent/caregiver has/has not given explanations. Provides a report for year level manager and roll class teacher that identifies students who are absent too often. Records reasons for absence. Provides leadership to teachers to develop appropriate communication with parents/caregivers. Monitors follow-up of student absence by Student Services. Is directly involved in communication and action as needed. Send form letter home if no response to phone contact. (refer EDSAS) Advise year level manager. Monitors response of ED171. Refers to DECS services when required. Assist roll class teacher to communicate with families and students about absences. Negotiate action and monitor communication follow-up with roll class teacher. Seeks contact with parent/caregiver by phone or meeting to: assess validity of reason discuss consequence of absence on academic progress. Refer student/family to Student Services for personalised education planning: negotiated education plan (NEP) translation services Student/family at Risk. If phone contact unsuccessful: notify relevant staff of special circumstance advise family/ caregiver in writing.
The student is absent too often eg: more than five days a term often on a particular day sudden run of absence, repeated over several weeks.
Provides support to roll class teacher to contact parents/caregivers.
4.15
4.16
ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
The checklist below lists strategies for improving student attendance that may be appropriate prior to referral to Student Attendance Counsellors. Strategies are not listed sequentially and can be used at any stage. This checklist is useful for step 3 of the PDSA Cycle.
ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT CHECKLIST
T = Teacher WS = Whole School
ST = Student Team/Counsellor C = Curriculum Development
YLC = Year Level Coordinator
4.17
4.18
STUDENT ATTENDANCE PROFILE
This profile is a guide only and may be useful in step 3 of the PDSA Cycle, to clarify the current situation for individual students. The profile can be developed when staff members have reason to believe a students non-attendance or lack of punctuality is likely to be ongoing and a cause for concern
4.19
Student attendance profile summary
When the chart above has been completed, summarise the information in the format below. STUDENT ATTENDANCE PROFILE SUMMARY 1. ACTIONS CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENT:
2. PROPOSED ACTIONS TO FURTHER SUPPORT THE STUDENT:
3. HOW AND WHEN THIS INTERVENTION WILL BE REVIEWED:
4.20

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A TTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT P ACKAGE