Summary: The lesson is divided into five parts. The first has students self-assess their own attendance. The second discusses challenges with attendance across the United States. The third focuses on why attendance matters and research showing its relationship with grades and graduation. The fourth includes a wide variety of solutions for attendance that districts and schools across the United States have tried. The fifth is the extension activity where students are asked to apply their knowledge by writing or emailing a politician about what they see as the cause of chronic absenteeism and the solutions.

Teaching notes:

• 1) This is a video heavy lesson. A few have rapid fire narration and benefit from close captioning and being slowed down– especially the Iowa Starting Line video. 
• 2) The extension is way more fun if students contact real politicians. You can give extra credit for it or require it. In the past, students who emailed the president got an immediate form response, but local politicians and representatives sent detailed, multi-page letters in response. Students often don’t know who their local politicians are so putting a list up can be helpful.

Approximate length: 60-80 minutes

About the curriculum: School success relies on key skills that students are rarely taught. The goal of this curriculum is to level the playing field and to directly teach the executive functioning, self-regulation, and life skills that all students need to succeed in school. Through 20 lessons across four units, this year long curriculum will help students build a foundation for success in school and life– and leave them with an individualized success workbook at the end of the program.