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Recommended Strategy
Attendance Spring Elementary

Post-break attendance is tanking

Post-break absences
+40% +8%
-80%
Follow-up time
5 days Next morning
-95%
Re-engaged in 1 wk
45% 88%
+96%

The Problem

Every year after spring break, the school lost students. Attendance dropped 40% in the first week back. Some students didn't return for days. By the time the attendance clerk noticed the pattern and teachers started making calls, a week had passed and the damage was done. The school had the data to see this coming — prior-year patterns showed exactly which students were at risk — but no automated system to flag them.

The Plan

  1. 1
    Before break: Configure two automated alerts
    Set "Absent Day 1 back" and "Absent 2+ days first week." Pre-flag students with prior-year patterns.
    20 minutes, one time
    Early Warning Data Import See example
  2. 2
    Day 1 back: Review flagged students at 10 AM
    Attendance entered by 9:30. Triggers fire automatically. Principal reviews the list, counselor starts calling by 10:30.
    30 min/day for 5 days
    Data Wall Student Profile See example
  3. 3
    Week 2: Close or escalate
    Students who returned — remove from watch. Still absent — escalate to MTSS team. Data wall shows the full picture.
    15-min weekly review
    Data Wall Events See example

The Team

The principal set up the early warning approach with the attendance clerk and school counselor.

Principal — Trigger configuration, daily review
Attendance clerk — Daily SIS entry by 9:30 AM
School counselor — Same-day family contact
Grade-level teachers — Classroom-level awareness

Resources

Materials from this strategy.

Post-Break Trigger Setup Guide Get Access

Related Strategies

Root cause ID
None Visible
Academic interventions aren't working for some students
Check attendance before assigning intervention
Attendance rate
71% 89%
Summer school seats sit empty and nobody knows until it's over
Daily 30-min cycle for 4-6 weeks
Chronic Absence Rate
18% 11%
Chronic absence keeps climbing after every break
Weekly team huddle + daily dashboard review

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