Absenteeism
During Remote Learning
John Finley Campus School
Sahar Shabazz
John H. Finley P.S.129M
Fall 2020
Students are frequently late or absent to remote instruction
INTRODUCTION:
Since COVID 19 the students attendance rate decreased and the students at John H. Finley, P.S. 129, have not been regularly attending class or arriving on time.
The teachers now need your help to identify and solve the problem. You will investigate the causes and identify possible solutions that can encourage students to come to school online every day and on time.
In a group of 2-3 you will help determine possible solutions for the students of P.S.129 to increase attendance during remote learning and decrease absenteeism and or tardiness.
TASK
You have been tasked with creating an attendance policy for the John H. Finley Campus school that will aid students in coming to school remotely every day and on time. Your assignment involves the following tasks below:
1. Complete a (PPA) Public Policy Analysis
2. A written report of 2-4 pages including all aspects of your research and your findings, as well as a provide an idea for a new attendance policy. (Use the rubric provided below to complete each task.)
3. A three-to-five-minute presentation on the topic using either a PowerPoint or another approved presentation form.
PROCESS
******Make sure that you have completed all required in each step as specified in
the Process section
|
Steps of Public Policy Analysis (PPA) 1.
Define the Problem 2.
Gather Evidence 3.
Identify the Causes 4.
Evaluate an Existing Policy 5.
Develop Solutions 6.
Select the Best Solutions |
|
1.) Students will be placed into small groups of 2-3.
2.) STEP 1 Identify the problem. (Students at P.S.129M are chronically absent and late to online school.) Problem sheet.
3.) Identify three adverse effects of this problem. (See Resources section for articles and use them)
4.) STEP 2 of PPA: Gather evidence of the problem using the Evidence sheet. (Conduct a Survey of the students to find the connection between absenteeism/tardiness and student achievement.)
5.) STEP 3 -Identify the causes of the problem. (from research and use the Cause sheet to collect your responses.)
6.) STEP 4-Evaluate existing public policy. (NYCDOE absence policy, PS 129 absence policy).
a. State one of the major existing policies that attempt to deal with the problem.
b. Advantages of this policy?
c. Disadvantages of policy?
d. Should policy be removed, improved and supported? What advantages, if any, from the present policy be kept? What disadvantages should be removed?
(Use Existing policy sheet to answer the questions in number 6).
7.) Suggest at least three new/original public policy alternatives. Use Develop solutions sheet.
8.) Write a defense for the best public policy solution. (Feasibility Matrix)
******Make sure that you have completed all required in each step using the sheets provided.
New
York City Attendance Plan/Policy During Remote Learning: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-year-20-21/district-school-reopening-plan-submission-to-nysed/attendance-plan
Attendance
NYCDOE: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-environment/attendance
Strategies
to Improve Student Attendance (PBIS): https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/using-pbis-improve-attendance/
Increasing
Students Attendance: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/increasing-student-attendance.pdf
Leading
to Change/Increasing Student Attendance: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may08/vol65/num08/Improving-Student-Attendance.aspx
Ways
to increase Attendance (according to NYS DoE): http://www.everystudentpresent.org/
Key
Findings of Elementary school Attendance: https://www.attendanceworks.org/research/elementary-school/
Childtrends.org: Indicators of student
absenteeism: http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=student-absenteeism
Conducting
Surveys: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writing/83557-tips-on-how-to-put-together-surveys-for-school-projects/
New
York City Department of Education Attendance Policy: http://schools.nyc.gov/StudentSupport/StudentAttendance/default.htm
Effects
of absenteeism: http://www.attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Absenses-Add-Up_September-3rd-2014.pdf
Conducting
Surveys: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writing/83557-tips-on-how-to-put-together-surveys-for-school-projects/
EVALUATION:
******Make sure that you have completed all required in each step as
specified in the Process section.
|
Research Report Rubric |
||||
|
Element |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Introduction
/4 |
The
introduction clearly and identifies social problem, previews the
structure of the paper and includes effects of social problem. |
The
introduction identifies the social problem but may not preview the set-
up of the paper or the social effects of the problem. |
The
introduction is missing both the preview of the paper and the effects
of the social problem. |
Introduction
is missing |
|
Gathering
Evidence /2 |
|
|
Students
discuss process of how they obtained information about PS 129 School students
absentee and tardiness habits and findings obtained from surveys. |
Students
discuss survey itself but not what the results show. |
|
Survey
/2 |
|
|
Students
include a master copy of the survey questions distributed to obtain results. |
Students
do not include a template copy of the survey questions asked. |
|
Evaluation
of existing policy /4 |
|
|
Students
include a master copy of the survey questions distributed to obtain results. |
Students
do not identify or discuss the current policy regarding attendance at PS 129. |
|
Solution
Proposal /4 |
Students
utilize the Feasibility Matrix for three proposed solutions; identify the
most feasible attendance policy PS 129 with a rationale for this choice. |
Students
utilize the Feasibility Matrix for less than three proposed solutions;
identify a new attendance policy for PS 129 with a rationale for this choice. |
Students
identify the new policy they would like to see put in place at PS 129 but
skip the Feasibility Matrix process. |
Students
do not propose a solution to combat Chronic Absenteeism and Tardiness. |
|
Total:
/16 =
__ % |
||||
|
PowerPoint/Presentation Rubric |
||||
|
Element |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Introduction
/4 |
Presentation
tells the audience what the social issue is and why it matters. The
presentation invites the audience to reflect on the condition by asking
interesting questions and stating the goal. |
Presentation
tells the audience what the social issue is and why it matters, yet does not
invite reflection and audience participation. |
Presentation
tells the audience what the social issue is. |
No
introduction of PowerPoint. |
|
Content
/4 |
Presentation
contains all content of Public Policy Analysis (including: Gathering
Evidence; Survey; Evaluation of Current Policy; 3 Possible Solutions;
Identify Best Solution; Defend Best Solution) |
Presentation
is missing only 1 or 2 of the required content sections from the Public
Policy Analysis. |
Presentation
contains 1-2 of the required content sections from the Public Policy
Analysis. |
Presentation
contains none of the required content from the Public Policy Analysis. |
|
Layout /3 |
|
The
Presentation is visually appealing and helps the audiences understanding of
the material. |
The
Presentation is visually appealing but contains no visual graphics, or aids. |
The Presentation
has a template or color scheme that is visually unappealing (color scheme
makes it hard to read, small fonts, extra-large fonts), and no images. |
|
Resources /2 |
|
|
Presentation
includes all resources students used. |
Presentation
does not contain a slide listing resources students used. |
|
Writing
Conventions /4 |
Presentation
contains no more than 1 grammatical or spelling error. |
Presentation
contains between 2 and 3 grammatical or spelling errors. |
Presentation
contains between 4 and 5 grammatical or spelling errors. |
Presentation
contains many grammatical and spelling errors that hinder comprehension. |
|
Total:
/15 =
__ % |
||||
CONCLUSION
In this unit we learned more about Public Policy Analysis (PPA), through analyzing social problems. The purpose is to recognize and identify social problems and develop feasible solutions through the 6 steps of the PPA. Through the presentation on Absenteeism During Remote Learning, you should now understand that your attendance is important whether you are in the school building or not. You should also understand that it can have a great impact on your achievement, academic success, and your success in the future. This WebQuest allows you to take social issues such as attendance and create a policy that can motivate other students to come to school on time every day. Through developing your own public policy, you also become a voice of change. The experience you obtain through analyzing social issues through the 6 steps of the PPA can induce future change in society and maybe even the world.
Standards
Next Generation English Language Arts (ELA) Standards:
Grade 4
4W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to explore a topic and convey ideas and information relevant to the subject.
4W2a: Introduce a topic clearly and organize related information in paragraphs and sections. 4W2b: Develop ideas on a topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, or other relevant information; include text features when useful for aiding comprehension.
4W2c: Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary
***Research to Build and Present Knowledge
4W6: Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, and to build knowledge through investigating multiple aspects of a topic.
4W7: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from multiple sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
Next Generation English Language Arts (ELA) Standards:
Grade 4
Comprehension and Collaboration
4SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, expressing ideas clearly, and building on those of others.
4SL1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
4SL1b: Follow agreed-upon norms for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
4SL2: Paraphrase portions of information presented in diverse formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral).
4SL3: Identify and evaluate the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4SL4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace and volume appropriate for audience.
4SL5: Include digital media and/or visual displays in presentations to emphasize central ideas or themes.
4SL6: Distinguish between contexts that call for formal English versus/or informal discourse; use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.
Knowledge of Language
4L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.