2026 Exemplary Practice School: Jayenne Elementary School
Learn more about what makes Jayenne Elementary an Exemplary Practice School.
Improving Student Attendance Through Tiered Interventions
During the 2024–2025 school year, Jayenne Elementary School staff focused on strengthening Tier I and Tier II attendance supports to reduce chronic absenteeism by at least 1.5% through improved school culture and stronger family relationships. The school-culture work centered on three objectives: expanding student leadership, streamlining communication, and implementing school-wide project-based learning (PBL). Student leadership initiatives empowered them to take ownership of school culture by aligning leadership roles with both student strengths and needs, including targeted roles for students who require attendance or behavior support.
Students supported daily operations, younger peers, and academic initiatives, reinforcing engagement and accountability. Communication was streamlined to a single platform, which resulted in 100% staff connectivity and over 97% family engagement. Increased family participation during the school day and at events led to higher volunteer involvement and stronger school–home connections. School-wide PBL initiatives further strengthened the culture by engaging students, staff, families, and community members in cross-curricular, relevant learning experiences.
Students recognized their responsibility in project-based learning and understood why regular attendance matters, as their participation impacts both their learning and their team. Alongside culture reform, Jayenne Elementary strengthened Tier I and II attendance practices, including daily attendance calls, Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) aligned expectations, recognition incentives, attendance monitoring, Student Assistance Teams (SAT) problem-solving, and collaboration with the county truancy-diversion team.
As a result, the chronic absenteeism rate decreased from 20.5% in 2024 to 16% in 2025, far exceeding their improvement goal. This success reflects the combined impact of consistent attendance support and a welcoming, inclusive school culture where students and families feel valued and want to be present.