California's New Attendance Recovery Program: A Comprehensive Guide for Districts

California schools face significant challenges managing student absenteeism, impacting both student success and school funding. To address chronic absenteeism and provide schools an opportunity to recover funding lost to absences, California is introducing Attendance Recovery (AR) beginning in the 2025-26 school year through SB 153 (amended by SB 176).

The Attendance Recovery Challenge

Chronic absenteeism leads to gaps in student learning, lower academic outcomes, and substantial funding losses for school districts. Without effective ways to recover attendance, schools struggle financially, impacting resources available for students.

What is Attendance Recovery?

Attendance Recovery is a voluntary program designed to allow schools to offer extra instructional opportunities, helping students recover missed school days and enabling districts to regain lost Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding. These sessions can be held before or after school, during weekends, or during intersession breaks.

Comprehensive Program Requirements

1. Eligibility and Access

• Available to school districts, county offices of education (COEs), and classroom-based charter schools
• Non-classroom-based charter schools and long-term independent study students are excluded
• Program is voluntary for LEAs but must follow strict guidelines when implemented

2. Recovery Limits and Timing

• Maximum 10 days recovery per student per fiscal year
• Cannot exceed actual absences accrued during the same school year
• Two operation windows:
  
  • Current Fiscal Year: After last day of school until June 30
  • Future Fiscal Year: After July 1 before first day of school

3. Instructional Requirements

• Must meet minimum daily instructional minutes:
  
  • TK/K: 180 minutes
  • Grades 1-3: 230 minutes
  • Grades 4-8: 240 minutes
  • Grades 9-12: 240 minutes
• Time accrued in one-hour increments
• Instruction must be "substantially equivalent" to regular programs
• Must align with grade-level standards

4. Staffing and Supervision

• Direct supervision by certificated staff required
• Mandatory student-to-teacher ratios:
  
  • 10:1 for TK/K
  • 20:1 for grades 1-12
• Staff qualification documentation required

5. Funding and Integration

• Can be funded through ELO-P (with conditions)
• AR ADA must be tracked separately from regular ADA
• Detailed documentation of funding sources required

6. Reporting and Compliance

Three mandatory reporting periods:

• P-1 (due January 17)
• P-2 (due May 1)
• Annual (due July 17)

‍

Starting FY 2025-26, programs will be audited for:

• Documentation of attendance recovery sessions
• Compliance with instructional time requirements
• Staff qualification verification
• Accurate ADA tracking and reporting

Implementation Strategy

1. Planning Phase

• Review current attendance patterns
• Assess staffing capabilities
• Evaluate technology infrastructure needs
• Develop program policies
• Create communication strategy

2. Operational Requirements

• Establish attendance tracking systems
• Design "substantially equivalent" instruction
• Create staff scheduling protocols
• Implement documentation procedures
• Set up compliance monitoring

3. Technology Infrastructure

• Robust attendance tracking system
• Multiple session type management
• Student eligibility tracking
• Staff qualification monitoring
• Automated compliance reporting
• Integration with state reporting systems

Best Practices for Success

1. Clear Communication

• Inform parents and students about AR opportunities
• Establish transparent eligibility criteria
• Provide regular progress updates

2. Quality Assurance

• Regular program evaluation
• Staff training and support
• Continuous improvement processes

3. Documentation Management

• Maintain detailed attendance records
• Track instructional equivalency
• Document staff qualifications
• Store audit-ready evidence

Getting Started

To prepare for AR implementation in 2025-26:

1. Analyze current attendance patterns and funding impact
2. Review staffing capacity and certification requirements
3. Assess technology infrastructure needs
4. Develop comprehensive program policies
5. Create stakeholder communication plan
6. Establish audit-ready documentation systems

Additional Resources

For more information about AR requirements and implementation:

• Contact CDE's Attendance Accounting Office: AttendanceAccounting@cde.ca.gov
• Principal Apportionment Section: 916-324-4541
• Review CDE's AR Program Webinar (March 19, 2025)

Conclusion

The Attendance Recovery program represents both an opportunity and a challenge for California LEAs. Success requires careful planning, robust systems, and a commitment to compliance and quality instruction. By preparing now, schools can ensure they're ready to implement effective AR programs that benefit both students and their bottom line.

‍