3 strategies to improve attendance for students with disabilities

Key points:

• Every student should have the supports needed to thrive
• Managing rising student needs under IDEA
• Here’s how schools can better support neurodiverse students
• For more news on special needs strategies, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub

For too many students with disabilities, chronic absenteeism prevents them from accessing the equitable education they deserve. Recent data shows students with disabilities miss substantially more school compared to their peers.

In Minneapolis Public Schools, for example, rates of chronic absenteeism among students with disabilities rose from 29 percent in 2019 to 53 percent in 2022. While 2023 shows the rate starting to decline, down to 46 percent, these findings highlight an urgent need for schools to build comprehensive strategies that remove barriers to attendance and create inclusive, supportive learning environments for students with disabilities. 

As educators work to address student absenteeism, they must develop an “Equitable Blueprint”–a robust framework to proactively address absenteeism and better serve students with disabilities. Just like an architectural blueprint provides the plans and specifications for a structure, this equitable blueprint outlines the key design components needed to build a school experience that works for all students, including those with disabilities.

This blueprint has three integral sections:

1. Leverage a data-driven foundation to support students

You can’t construct an effective strategy without first inspecting and analyzing the current conditions. Schools must establish comprehensive data practices to objectively identify attendance challenges specific to students with disabilities. 

Investing in capabilities to disaggregate attendance data by disability status, grades, demographics, and reasons for absences provides critical insights. With this visibility, educators can analyze patterns like whether mental health needs, lack of access to accommodations, or feelings of isolation are contributing factors. They can then develop targeted action plans tailored to each student’s situation. 

For example, data may reveal higher absenteeism correlating with students’ needs not being appropriately met through accommodations or modifications. This could prompt the school to conduct a comprehensive review of accommodation implementation and provide additional staff training. Or the data could uncover higher rates of anxiety-related absences, spurring enhanced mental health supports.

Continuously reviewing this data is crucial for monitoring progress and making adjustments based on identified needs. It lays the objective foundation for developing evidence-based solutions.

2.  Foster a sense of belonging for students with disabilities at school

This equitable blueprint must be designed from the start to create a sense of belonging and community for students with disabilities. Just as an architect factors in accessibility, this design prioritizes inclusive practices that allow every student to fully participate. Research shows that chronically feeling excluded or unwelcome can significantly undermine engagement.

Prioritize inclusive practices like disability awareness professional development for all staff, student-led social-emotional learning lessons, and peer mentorship programs that facilitate connections across diverse groups. Ensure appropriate accessibility supports like accommodations, assistive technologies, and facility modifications are fully provided.

Design opportunities for students with disabilities to get involved through extracurriculars, leadership roles, and relationship-building with staff. Adopt a multi-tiered system of support like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that embeds inclusive practices school-wide.

By centering student belonging, this design creates environments where students with disabilities feel welcomed, represented, and embraced as valued members of the community. 

3. Collaborate with families through two-way constructive communication

Even the most well-designed blueprint can’t succeed without the partnership of those who will inhabit and experience the finished structure. Students with disabilities and their families must be involved as essential collaborators throughout the entire construction process.

Establish regular communication through text messages, home visits, meetings, webinars, and surveys. Host feedback sessions to understand families’ perspectives on existing challenges and needed resources. Bring them into intervention planning and goal-setting as equal partners. 

Provide families with guidance on rights, accommodations, self-advocacy, and navigating potential obstacles. Consider a student/family council to maintain consistent stakeholder voice and ensure initiatives are sustainable.

An equitable blueprint that follows best practices in data foundations, accessible design, and stakeholder partnerships provides the comprehensive plans needed to proactively address absenteeism and foster an engaging, inclusive school experience for students with disabilities.

The true measure of success is when the finished “structure” enables every student to thrive.

About the Author:

Dr. Kara Stern is Director of Education and Engagement at SchoolStatus, a leader in K-12 data-driven solutions that empower student success. SchoolStatus provides a comprehensive suite of communication and attendance solutions that enhance educator-to-family connectedness and support student success.