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Tribal Attendance Promising Practices (TAPP)

Governor Kotek and Dr. Charlene Williams Pose for Attendance Awareness 

Governor Kotek Signs Attendance Awareness Month Proclamation

Signed Attendance Awareness Month Proclamation

September is Attendance Awareness Month!

The Every Day Matters Team "seeks to expand systemic support and advocacy to address barriers to attendance and examine and remove the root causes of Chronic Absenteeism, especially for focal student groups, through collaboration across systems both within ODE and with partners across the state." This ODE website includes Attendance Awareness Month resources, year-round support, and research about chronic absenteeism. 

Please watch this video introduction from Dr. Charlene Williams available on the ODE YouTube page:
ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams Celebrates Attendance Awareness Month This September

After the release of the The Condition of Education for Members of Oregon's Indian Tribes in January 2013, a study from the Chalkboard Project, the Government to Government Education Cluster (comprised of representatives from each of the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon) created a Policy Option Package (POP) to solicit state funding to reduce chronic absenteeism of American Indian/Alaska Native students. The study revealed if you were an American Indian/Alaska Native student nearly one-third (33%) in all grades were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). While all other students are at less than one-fifth (19%) chronically absent.

Tribal Attendence Promising Practices (TAPP) 






The Oregon legislature set aside funds for the 2023-2025 biennium to operate TAPP projects focused on supporting the attendance of Native students in ten  preselected Oregon school districts. TAPP will enable participating districts to receive $190,753.77 for their Family Advocate position, which has deep local connections, to create school-wide initiatives focused on reducing chronic absenteeism.

The intent of the collaboration is to strengthen the links between Oregon Tribes and the schools that serve any student identifying as American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) , even if the student is not a member of a federally recognized tribe. TAPP differs from Title VI programs in that fundamental way. However, because this is a school-wide initiative, it will positively impact the attendance of every student attending TAPP schools.

"Schools across Oregon, nation grapple with attendance issues"

Rolando Hernandez - December 5, 2023 - OPB
"Last week, a state report showed that 38% of all Oregon students are chronically absent, meaning they miss at least 10% of school days." Charan Cline and Stacy Parrish speak about chronic absenteeism - THINK OUT LOUD Article and Podcast

TAPP Sites

TAPP Map.png

TAPP Program Promising and Best Practices

Since the TAPP Pilot year, our district sites have been deeply committed to the work of the Tribal Attendance Promising Practices grant program. Educators look to our TAPP districts to learn from them just what it takes to increase the attendance of our American Indian/Alaska Native students. While some of the best practices linked below can be readily implemented at any school site, our most “promising practices" are the ones which have required educators and school and district leaders to evaluate systems, structures, policies, and beliefs present in themselves and throughout their complex K-12 ecosystems to determine to what extent they truly serve our AI/AN+ students and center their unique cultural and linguistic needs in their district and school improvement efforts.  

Courageously naming, addressing, and working to heal the historical trauma of settler colonialism – the impacts of land theft, reservations, broken treaties, the attempted genocide of culture and languages with the boarding school era, and the devastating impacts of Indian termination policies on the lineages of entire families still today – is really the work of TAPP. The document below uplifts a fraction of these promising practices happening across our various TAPP sites. Our deep gratitude and appreciation goes out to them as they engage in this work each and every day at 28 school sites in ten school districts across the state of Oregon. 

Attendance Works - Foundational Supports interview Questions 

The Tribal Attendance Promising Practices program is built off of the research-based methods from Attendance Works. In our TAPP monthly meetings this year, we have been learning more about the Three Tiers of Intervention, especially about the importance of “Foundational Supports”. For any TAPP Family Advocate or any support staff member who leads regular attendance efforts who would like to learn more about the foundational supports in place at their school, these interview questions can help guide them.

TAPP Promising and Best Practices Comprehensive Resource

Every Day Matters website -
Includes Attendance Awareness month resources; NEW updates and formatting as of September of 2024

McKinney Vento, TAPP, and Title VI Indian Education Support Document

Setting the TAPP Family Advocate Up for Success - Self Assessment -
This assessment is aligned to Section Two of the TAPP Promising and Best Practices Comprehensive Resource up above. 

Culturally Responsive Tiered Attendance Systems - Self Assessment
This assessment is aligned to Section Four of the TAPP Promising and Best Practices Comprehensive Resource up above.

TAPP Summer Learning Series
Session 1: Creating the conditions to support American Indian and Alaska Native Students with Attendance
Summer TAPP Session 1 Slidedeck and Summer TAPP Session 1 Recording (coming soon)
Session 2: Culturally responsive tiered attendance systems for AI/AN students: Refining and retooling
Summer TAPP Session 2 Slidedeck and Summer TAPP Session 2 Recording (coming soon)

Trainings for TAPP Districts for 2024-2025

Sept. 26, 2024 TAPP Quarterly Webinar #1
Sept. 2024 TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting

October TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting

November TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting

November 21, 2024 TAPP Quarterly Webinar #2

Trainings for TAPP Districts for 2023-2024

TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting - September

TAPP Quarterly Webinar #1 - September 21, 2023

TAPP Family Advocate monthly Meeting - October

TAPP Quarterly Webinar #2 - November 30, 2023

Every Day Matters Training - November 30 - Foundations of Family Engagement

TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting - December 2023

TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting - February 2024

TAPP Quarterly Webinar #3 - Februrary 8, 2024

TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting - March 2024

TAPP Family Advocate Monthly Meeting - May 2024

2023 TAPP Symposium

The Tribal Attendance Promising Practices Program held an end of year symposium for all TAPP Project Directors, Family advocates, Tribal Partners and esteemed guests. This event had the honor of hosting the Native Wellness Institute and Spoken Word Poet Shuina Sko who created a one of a kind poem you will find linked below. We would like to thank all who traveled near and far to attend the 2023 TAPP Symposium and we will be looking forward to hosting next years event! Please enjoy the photos taken from the symposium along with the Best Practices Slide show from our TAPP Family Advocates. 

TAPP Symposium Photos

Poem: "Family is Us" by Shuina Sko

TAPP Family Advocates Best Practices Slide Show

OIE TAPP 2022 Fall Site Visit 

Fall Comprehensive Report

*TAPP Best Practices in the report can be found on pg. 33-44

2021-2022 TAPP Training (Archive)

Our 2021-2022 TAPP Training was a success. We enjoyed the presentations shared by three inspiring guest speakers. You may access materials and view the recorded training below: 

TAPP Flier 28th.pdf

TAPP Training Recording pt. 1

TAPP Training Recording pt. 2

TAPP Slide Deck

For more information regarding the TAPP grant, district site plans, or have requests for trainings, consultation, or general questions please contact Stacy at: Stacy.Parrish@ode.oregon.gov




TAPP Tribal Family Advocate Success Stories


"There has been a decrease of chronic absenteeism in our school and an increased level of communication with parents. I have seen countless other ways this program has benefitted the students and the community. It is an amazing program, one I hope we are able to continue."
-Pendleton Family Advocate


"I talk about setting goals, creating new routines and succeeding in school by making school a priority and the necessity for higher education (especially for AI/AN students) ... it is very motivating when they (families with students) know someone within their school district so interested in their family and student success."
-South Umpqua School District Family Advocate

Data Transparency

Please use the links below to review data submitted to ODE by school Districts

English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Assessment Reports** This link will also show you results from the Student Educational Equity Development Survey (SEED).

At-A-Glance School District Profiles 

Regular Attenders (formerly "Not Chronically Absent") Report

Graduation and Dropout Rates

Oregon Statewide Report Card: 2022-2023

Discipline, Restraint and Seclusion Collections

Graduation Requirements and College Preparation

Research Documents

AI/AN Students in Oregon: A Review of Key Indicators

Condition of Education for Members of Oregon's Indian Tribes 

Higher Education and Training for Native American/Alaskan Native Students in Oregon, November 2021

2022 Oregon Educator Equity Report, Educator Advancement Council

Additional Resources 


Contact the Office of Indian Education

April Campbell, Assistant Superintendent: April.Campbell@ode.oregon.gov

Renee Roman Nose, Native American Student Success Coordinator: Renee.RomanNose@ode.oregon.gov

Brent Spencer, Indian Education Coordinator: Brent.Spencer@ode.oregon.gov

Brandon Culbertson, Early Literacy Senior Analyst: Brandon.Culbertson@ode.oregon.gov

Stacy Parrish, Indian Education Specialist: Stacy.Parrish@ode.oregon.gov

Nicole Barney, Early Literacy Education Specialist: Nicole.Barney@ode.oregon.gov

Raina Reece, Executive Support Specialist: Raina.Reece@ode.oregon.gov

Stephanie Gluck, Research & Data Analyst: Stephanie.gluck@ode.oregon.gov