Students who miss school fall behind academically, which can fuel a self-perpetuating cycle of poor attendance and low achievement. Studies show that students with high absences in kindergarten score lower on achievement tests at the end of first grade. Absenteeism is among the factors that predict whether a student will graduate from high school. Research on truancy identifies no single factor that contributes to truancy, but rather multiple factors that include school, home, community and student.

Student Engagement, Attendance & Service Learning is a BBF and University of Nebraska at Omaha collaboration that works with students, parents, schools and community organizations to improve school attendance and engagement through the use of prevention and early intervention strategies, the development of student assets and service learning.

Program Goals

Increase school attendance by establishing an Absenteeism Prevention & Intervention Plan with pilot schools that target all youth
Each of the pilot schools is implementing prevention practices that have high expectations for student punctuality and attendance through incentives and awareness campaigns. Pilot schools are implementing an attendance monitoring process to create an environment that provides early interventions for students needing assistance. An assessment-driven referral process is being used for the coordination of services that meet individual needs of youth.

Create a community and school climate and culture built on strong relationships that encourage youth to attend and become connected to schools
Each of the pilot schools is developing a strategic plan to implement the 40 Developmental Assets framework into its policies and practices throughout the 2010/2011 school year. The pilot schools will concentrate on the nine key assets that affect academic achievement. The 40 Assets framework is also being used to increase parental and community involvement in the life of a student.

Develop opportunities for engaged learning between K-12 schools and higher education
UNO is a leader in service learning and is building on that knowledge to connect K-12 and higher education through the development of quality, sustainable service learning projects. These projects engage youth in their communities and schools, allow students to see themselves as college students, and create an active learning environment while meeting community identified needs.

Building Bright Futures contacts

Suzi Yokley-Busby
Positive Youth Engagement Program Coordinator University of Nebraska Omaha & Omaha Public Schools *In partnership with Building Bright Futures
402-637-3821
syokleybusby@unomaha.edu
suzi.busby@ops.org

Paul Sather
Director of Service Learning Academy
American Humanics
University of Nebraska at Omaha
402-554-6019
psather@unomaha.edu

Julie Dierberger
P-16 Coordinator, Service Learning Academy
University of Nebraska at Omaha
402-554-3268
jdierberger@unomaha.edu

Sharif Liwaru
Elementary Schools Director of the Attendance Collaborative
402-590-7526
sliwaru@unomaha.edu

Sarah Moore
Middle Schools Director of the Attendance Collaborative
402-651-5660
sarahmoore@unomaha.edu

Nikole Roach
High Schools Director of the Attendance Collaborative
402-637-7323
nroach@unomaha.edu