Reviewing the management of school attendance through the lens of multi-tiered systems of support

Abstract

Healthy school attendance is a key contributor towards a young person’s prospects beyond the formal education setting. Parents and schools both share the responsibility of supporting student attendance at school; as such, schools are required to have policies and processes in place for when absenteeism occurs. The concern around attendance rates in Australian schools has been a popular topic post-COVID, with the prevalence of attendance problems. There is developing research on how schools can efficiently support student attendance through using a framework such as the Multi- Tiered Systems of Support. This paper sought to review the current attendance policy and procedures in a small regional independent school to identify areas for improvement. Surveys were distributed to stakeholders in the school’s attendance management practices to allow their perspectives on current policies and processes to be shared. The key findings of the research revealed that a lack of a consistent process exists within the school due to poor policy implementation. Recommendations for improving role clarity and bolstering the policy with tiered interventions to support the follow-up of absenteeism and prevention were made.