3/1/2017
The Importance of Being in Attendance
How Michigan Connections Academy Works With the Chronically Absent
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First authorized fully online K‐12 school in Michigan
• 2010‐2011 • Ferris State University
• Over 1600 students enrolled K‐12 across the state
• Office located in Okemos with over 80 staff
• NOT a Seat‐Time Waiver
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No, Who Are You REALLY?
Kelly Tews
School Administrator
Jenny Lawson
School Executive Assistant
Melissa Norman‐Dunton
Manager of Counseling Services How Does MICA Measure Attendance?
• 6.1 hours = 1 School Day
• Parents “log” attendance
• Attendance verified by teachers, administrators and/or school counselors
• Discussed with parents during bi‐weekly calls
• LiveLesson attendance
• Direct Contact with School Staff
Data Verification
AccountabilityDataView
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Escalation
• Student/Parent/ Teacher Notification System
• On Track
• Approaching Alarm
• Alarm
Escalation
• Based on Percentages of expected hours attended and lessons completed
Metrics at MICA
Attendance and Participation should be EQUAL and the GOAL =
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What If the Numbers Don’t Add Up?
Attendance Audit Time!
• Approved Pupil Accounting Lesson Times
• Matched to the dates/times students submit and complete assignments via Gradebook
• Attendance adjustments as necessary
Truancy Process at MICA
• Principal Report every other Monday
• Students who have 20 or more absences, filtered out
• Filtered numbers go to teachers to verify that those students are not working on a plan to get caught up
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Truancy Process at MICA
• Teachers verify students who need to be in truancy process
• Letters sent home later that week.
• Via both USPS and Must‐Read Return Receipt WebMail
• Letter 3 sent Certified via USPS
Truancy Process at MICA
• Letter 1 = Get it together! Call your homeroom teacher and get a plan!
• Letter 2 = You didn’t get it together, now you get to drive to Okemos and meet with Kelly Tews.
• Letter 3 = Well, guess what, we had to file truancy with your local county because you didn’t get it together.
How Our System is Different
Kids actually have to do LESSONS!
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How Our System is Different
Just because you missed Monday, does not mean you missed Monday! Monday can ALWAYS find you!
By the Time MICA Files for Truancy
1. Parents and students have received 3 letters and at least 3 phone calls to discuss how to get back on track
2. Multiple efforts have been made to work with the student
3. Families have often met with Kelly Tews and created a plan to be successful that they have not followed
4. Kids just have to log in and pick up the phone! No bus rides, cafeterias, bullies in the hall, etc.
5. Families have demonstrated that they are simply not going to comply with the compulsory school laws, no matter what is done to help them find success. Our Struggle with Filing Truancy
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MICA enrolls students throughout the entire state of Michigan. There are only 4 counties where we do not have a family residing in. We must follow the rules of each county we are filing in, not just Ingham County (county of our School District). There are several different policies we have to follow. Although we file on several students each year, not all of our cases are picked up. We have come a long ways with working with all of the different counties, but we are still trying to improve our relationships with each of them. 6
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Questions?
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