Attendance Recovery

“Attendance Recovery (AR) allows districts the option to offer more opportunities to increase student access to instruction and recover funding dependent on average daily attendance.” - California Department of Education 

Attendance Recovery was created by new Education Code sections 46210-46211.  Attendance Recovery is not a replacement for instruction during the regular school day and does not change a student’s attendance record. AR is designed to provide additional standards-aligned instruction that supports student engagement and performance. Attendance recovery is offered outside of the regular school day through before and after school, intersession, Saturday, or summer sessions.

Attendance Recovery is designed to engage students in educational activities and content aligned to grade-level standards. AR is taught by credentialed teachers and provides additional in-person instructional time outside of the regular school day.  By participating in AR, students will have opportunities to connect with teachers, deepen their understanding and knowledge, explore new learning opportunities, and participate in programs that benefit students and the district.

Yes. Senate Bill 153 amended EC Section 46111 to allow TK and Kindergarten student participation in AR programs, along with Expanded Learning Opportunity Programs (ELO-P).

No. Participation in AR does not remove an absence from the attendance register and does not remove a local educational agency’s obligation to meet the requirements of compulsory education law under EC sections 48260-48273. A truant student continues to be defined as a student who has been absent or missed more than 30 minutes of class without a valid excuse three times in a school year.

Students can participate in attendance recovery during before school, after school, intersessional days and during summer programs.

Yes, all students may participate in Attendance Recovery for up to 40 hours per school year.

No.  Attendance Recovery is optional/voluntary.

No.  Attendance Recovery must be offered outside of the regular school day. This may include before and after school, during intersessions, on Saturdays, or during the summer.

Yes, students have to participate exclusively through in-person instruction.

Attendance Recovery does not erase/remove absences from a student’s official record, but rather demonstrate that the student has made up the lost learning time.  Attendance Recovery does not change a student’s attendance record, but it does contribute to the district’s overall attendance reporting which provides funding for programs and staff.  Participate in AR will benefit students by providing additional opportunities to work with teachers and receive grade level instruction, but it does not excuse a student from missed assignments. AR may be an extension of classroom instruction or may focus on a different area of academic enrichment, but is not designed to replace regular day instruction.

No.  Attendance Recovery and ELO-P programs are free to all students.

Maybe.  Because Attendance Recovery is a new program and is an optional offering, it may not be available at all school sites.  Schools are not required to offer AR to all grade levels. They can choose which grades to prioritize, but best practice suggests focusing on students who missed the most instructional time.