What if we could predict and prevent future disengagement, dropout, and even incarceration—starting in elementary school? This session explores a transformative framework that reduced chronic absenteeism by over 31% in 18 months. Rooted in the doctoral research of Dr. David Diehl and informed by five major longitudinal studies, this model identifies early warning indicators of student disengagement and leverages them to drive actionable, tiered interventions.
Inspired by Dr. Diehl’s experiences working with system-involved youth and shaped by the urgent need to support students in marginalized, under-resourced communities, Selma USD built a data-informed, equity-centered approach that prioritizes student voice, relationship-building, and community partnership.
Participants will learn how Selma’s attendance teams, comprising social workers and newly hired Community School Liaisons, utilize predictive data, early literacy indicators, behavioral concerns, and school avoidance patterns to engage students and families proactively.
This session will offer practical insights into:
- Implementing a proactive, tiered attendance intervention model
- Building systems that identify high-yield predictors of disengagement
- Strengthening family-school partnerships through culturally responsive outreach
- Addressing root causes of absenteeism, including academic, behavioral, and social-emotional barriers
Walk away with replicable tools, actionable strategies, and inspiration to reimagine how data, hope, and community can converge to change the trajectory of our most vulnerable students.
