Willoughby-Eastlake
City Schools
Attendance/HB96
Attendance & The Portrait of a Graduate: Every Moment Counts
At Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools, regular attendance is about more than just meeting state requirements—it is the essential environment where our students develop the competencies of our Portrait of a Graduate. When students are in the classroom, they are actively practicing the skills that will prepare them for life beyond graduation.
How Attendance Builds Our Competencies
Our six portrait competencies require active engagement with peers and educators:
- Communicator & Collaborator: These skills are built through daily interaction. Students miss the chance to share ideas, listen actively, and work in teams when they are absent.
- Critical Thinker & Creator: Academic growth involves a "productive struggle" that happens during live instruction. Being present allows students to innovate and solve complex problems in real-time.
- Empathetic & Resilient: Showing up consistently builds the grit and reliability (Resilience) needed for adulthood. Being part of a classroom community fosters the perspective-taking and kindness (Empathetic) that defines a Global Citizen.
Ohio Attendance Law: HB 96
Ohio law has shifted toward a supportive, preventative approach to attendance. The goal of recent legislation, specifically House Bill 96 (HB 96), is to partner with families to identify barriers to school attendance early and provide resources before a student falls behind. The new law emphasizes the role of the Absence Intervention Team (AIT). This team is designed to be a collaborative group of school staff and family members who work together to solve issues like transportation, health hurdles, or anxiety that may be keeping a student from school.
Important Attendance Thresholds
Early Warning (5% of Year) At this stage, we simply want to open a line of communication. We notify parents early so that small hurdles do not become large barriers to student achievement.
Chronic Absenteeism (10% of Year) Because every moment counts, Ohio law focuses on total time out of the classroom. Whether absences are excused or unexcused, hitting the 10% mark triggers a collaborative meeting with our support teams to develop a plan for success.
Habitual Truancy (Unexcused Hours) When unexcused absences reach specific hourly limits (30 consecutive, 42 in a month, or 72 in a year), the state requires more formal intervention. We focus on partnership first, aiming to resolve these issues within the school environment and avoid juvenile court whenever possible.
Why Every Day Matters
The impact of missing school starts early and can have long-lasting effects on a student's trajectory:
- Reading Mastery: Students chronically absent in preschool and kindergarten are significantly less likely to read on grade level by the third grade.
- Graduation Readiness: By high school, attendance is a better predictor of graduation than test scores. A student who is chronically absent at any point between 8th and 12th grade is seven times more likely to drop out.
- Success Beyond School: Regular attendance is the first step in becoming a Global Citizen who is prepared for the expectations of college and the workforce.
Partnering With Our Families
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools is committed to helping every student embody our Portrait Competencies. We want to work with you to ensure your child is in school and learning every day. Every Person Matters. Every Moment Counts. If your student is facing barriers to regular attendance, please reach out to your school’s principal or counselor today.