Attendance Success Plan

Attendance Success Plan

What Is an Attendance Success Plan?

An Attendance Success Plan is a collaborative, goal-oriented plan developed between a school and a student’s family to improve attendance by identifying root causes and setting realistic, supportive steps toward improvement.

Unlike punitive attendance contracts, success plans are framed around partnership, problem-solving, and positive goals — often used as a Tier 2 intervention in MTSS frameworks.

Why It Matters

When a student starts to miss school — even for excused reasons — the right support at the right time can make all the difference.

Attendance success plans help schools:

• Engage families in non-punitive problem-solving
• Document intentional intervention efforts
• Address barriers like health, housing, or mental wellness
• Prevent chronic absenteeism before it escalates
• Comply with state and district guidance around progressive intervention

They also build trust with families by framing attendance improvement as a shared goal, not a threat.

How Schools Use This Term in Practice

Attendance Success Plans are typically assigned when:

• A student has repeated absences (often 5–9 days missed)
• Earlier outreach (e.g., calls, letters) hasn't improved attendance
• The team wants to avoid escalating to truancy or SARB

A success plan meeting may involve:

• The student (when appropriate)
• A parent or guardian
• A counselor, administrator, or attendance team member

Plans usually include:

• A review of attendance history
• Identification of barriers (transportation, anxiety, family instability, etc.)
• SMART attendance goals (e.g., no more than 1 absence over next 20 days)
• Follow-up timeline and staff lead
• Optional signatures to acknowledge shared commitment

Some districts also include rewards or incentives tied to goal achievement.

What’s the Difference Between an Attendance Success Plan and an Attendance Contract?

Though often used interchangeably, the tone and purpose are different:

• Attendance Success Plan is supportive, focused on identifying challenges and setting growth-oriented goals.
• Attendance Contract is typically compliance-based, outlining consequences if attendance does not improve.

In many cases, schools are shifting from contracts to success plans as part of a broader move toward restorative and relationship-centered practices.

Related Terms and Concepts

• MTSS – Success plans are often part of Tier 2 interventions
• Chronic Absenteeism – Success plans help prevent or reverse chronic patterns
• Attendance Intervention – The success plan is the central documented intervention for many at-risk students
• SART – Success plans are sometimes developed or reviewed in SART meetings
• Unexcused Absences – Plans help prevent further unexcused absences and escalation to truancy

Example Scenario

A student in Fresno USD has missed 7 days of school by October — some excused, some unexcused. The counselor invites the family for a success plan meeting. Together, they identify transportation issues and anxiety as the main causes. The plan includes a daily check-in with a staff member, a bus pass provided by the school, and a goal of no absences over the next 30 days. The student meets the goal and is removed from the at-risk watchlist.

How Attendance Success Plans Impact Districts

Success plans are a low-cost, high-impact way to:

• Reduce chronic absenteeism
• Prevent escalation to SARB or truancy court
• Improve family engagement and school relationships
• Demonstrate compliance with progressive intervention policies
• Support data-driven MTSS frameworks

They’re especially effective when paired with real-time attendance data and follow-through systems.

How Are Schools Across the U.S. Using Attendance Success Plans?

Districts are scaling success plan use with more structure and more empathy:

1. Pre-Built Templates
Many schools use editable forms that include space for goals, barriers, and follow-up.

2. Embedded in MTSS
Success plans are now integrated into Tier 2 attendance playbooks and reviewed during team meetings.

3. Equity-Focused Planning
Districts train staff to approach success plans with cultural humility, trauma-informed practices, and family voice.

4. Digital Tracking and Follow-Up
Some districts track plans in SIS notes or tools like Nudge to ensure accountability and visibility.

5. Positive Framing and Incentives
Instead of focusing on consequences, many schools offer praise, certificates, or small incentives for hitting goals.

How Nudge Helps

Nudge helps districts move success plans from static documents to dynamic tools for real improvement.

With Nudge, districts can:

• Flag students who meet success plan thresholds
• Log and track success plans across sites
• Assign plan owners and intervention follow-ups
• Monitor plan effectiveness in real time
• Ensure schools follow a documented, student-centered process

Whether you’re managing 5 plans or 500, Nudge helps you stay organized, accountable, and proactive.

Want to Build a Better Attendance Intervention System?

See how Nudge helps schools implement and track Attendance Success Plans at scale — while staying personal and student-first.