Out of Sight Out of Mind? Your Guide to Post-COVID Attendance Data and Recovery [Part 2]

From elementary classrooms to college lecture halls, educators and leaders are asking: Where did our students go?

Our schools are still feeling the impact of post-pandemic attendance impacts. From elementary classrooms to college lecture halls, educators and leaders are asking: Where did our students go? 

This post, the second in our four-part series on Louisiana’s landmark report The Power of Presence, dives into Louisiana’s strategies for improving student attendance and highlights a critical piece of the puzzle: progress monitoring. Today, we’re unpacking what progress monitoring looks like and why it matters for student recovery.

What is Progress Monitoring for Attendance?

In The Power of Presence, the Louisiana Department of Education identifies five essential components of progress monitoring attendance:

1. Regular data analysis

2. Key metrics tracking

3. Assessment of intervention fidelity

4. Evaluation of intervention effectiveness

5. Data-driven decision making

   
   

At first glance, the first two may seem obvious. After all, how can you measure success without data? But here’s the catch: data collection alone isn’t enough. For progress monitoring to work, data must be shared with the right stakeholders consistently and clearly.

Bridging the Gap Between Plans and Practice

The next three components (assessing, evaluating, and making decisions) address the how of getting students back into the classroom. 

Have you ever noticed the gap between good intentions and real-life actions? Maybe you said you’d wake up at five am but hit the snooze button multiple times. That gap between intention and action is real, and schools experience it too. Assessment of intervention fidelity asks: Did we do what we said we would do? It’s about accountability and not punishment.

Pro tip: During fidelity checks, avoid a culture of blame. Separate people from the problem. Your attendance team members are your partners. When you work together against shared challenges, you uncover root causes and create real solutions, not just temporary fixes.

Evaluating What Works (and What Doesn’t)

When you evaluate intervention effectiveness, you’ll need to weigh costs versus benefits. In your Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), some interventions will be unpopular or resource-heavy. But if the data shows they work, they’re worth considering.

The bottom line? Let the data lead the way. Sometimes the hardest strategies deliver the biggest wins.

Final Thoughts and How to Take Action:

Our next post will spotlight attendance teams—who they are and what makes them successful. In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you:

• How has your school or district tackled attendance challenges?

• Which strategies have worked best for your students?

Drop your thoughts in the comments or share your story with us on social media!

We’d love to show you our Attendance Dashboard can help your team move the needle on student absenteeism. Schedule a quick demo today to learn more!

About Instructional Data Solutions: Our mission is to remove barriers to enable education organizations to focus on what matters most. We assist school systems and education organizations of all sizes by collecting, analyzing, and clearly communicating data. We are committed to empowering educators through comprehensive data analytics and tailored support. Additionally, we provide dedicated support for operational needs, process improvement, and special projects, offering customized solutions to enhance effectiveness and success. Our solutions bridge the gap between data collection and instructional improvement in PK-12 settings.