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Advancing School Attendance Program

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: 610-743-5937

Fax: 610-376-1601

Introduction

The Advancing School Attendance Program serving Berks and Adams Counties is designed to work with families and youth to increase school attendance and/or participation in career-oriented activities. Specialists work side-by-side with families to identify barriers to school attendance and create goals to increase school attendance. Specialists help students increase their sense of value and belonging to school while increasing parent/guardian’s perception, involvement, communication and monitoring of school.

Description of the Advancing School Attendance Program

As a provider of case management services for children, youth and families, SAM, Inc. has a long history of accessing a variety of supportive resources. Our Advancing School Attendance Program works with families to identify any barriers related to school attendance, determine the student’s and family’s strengths and needs, and work with local resources to improve the likelihood of school success.

Within the SAM Advancing School Attendance Program (ASAP):

  • All school age youth who have been identified as having excessive absences are eligible. In Berks County, students are eligible up to age 16 ½ years of age.

  • Case assignment and the planning process begins immediately upon referral. Priority is given to elementary age youth.

  • The services are provided will accommodate the family’s needs and can occur during evening and weekends, as needed.

  • ASAP will go where we are needed to reach a child’s academic goals. Services will be provided at the locations and settings most convenient for all involved – students, families, school staff, and others.

  • Schools as well as other community agencies become a partner in achievement of goals and progress is shared between members regularly.

Program Highlights

  1. Specialists will work in collaboration with schools, community agencies and families to create goals to increase school success. Examples of goals include, but are not limited to, assisting in obtaining Individualized Education Plan evaluations, assistance with housing, McKinney-Vento, medical assistance, mental health treatment.

  2. A meeting will be scheduled with relevant school personnel to discuss concerns and create a plan for success.

  3. Attendance is collected and discussed during each visit to determine whether a goal needs to be adjusted.

  4. Communication with referring school/agency is critical to the success of youth. Updates are routinely provided to the identified school staff through the preferred method of communication (email or phone).

  5. We recognize that not all students will be successful in traditional education settings. Therefore, we work with all involved parties to explore potential alternatives to traditional school setting if appropriate. This may include vocational programs.

  6. Program staff can work in collaboration with school districts to assist in reviewing protocols specific to school attendance and student success.

Outcomes

  • 88% of students who participated in the program improved attendance after 3 months in services in 2023-2024

  • 95% of students who participated in the program improved attendance after 6 months in services in 2023-2024

  • 66% of students increased their sense of value and belonging to school in 2023-2024

  • 74% of parents increased their sense of involvement, perception, monitoring and communication with school in 2023-2024

Testimonials

  • Parent - “My Specialist not only helped my children to attend school daily but increase their grades to straight A’s. She supported me as a single mother and gave me the strength to make positive changes for my family. The children were very sad when services ended because we view her as a member of the family”.

  • Parent – “I just wanted to call and say how grateful we are to have had our Specialist and how wonderful of a person that she is and to recognize her and we will miss her in our lives.  My daughter very much loved talking with her and she is just a great person and I wanted to leave the review for her because she will be missed.”

  • Parent – “The SAM ASAP Program is excellent to work with. Their staff are friendly, consistent, reliable, and very supportive. Over the years, my family has worked with many programs; this one is very involved with not only the parents, but with the student! Thank you SAM for all that you have done for my family”

  • School Personnel - You have an amazing team at ASAP! They were engaging, friendly, and patient with the dad we met with. The school nurse was in the meeting, and she had great things to say and it was informative for her.”

  • Educator – “I have worked with ASAP for the past three years. They provide quick and proactive communication and have done a wonderful job supporting our students and families through identifying barriers to attendance and assisting with creating solutions and connecting to local resources when needed.”

Referrals to the Advancing School Attendance Program

Referrals to the Advancing School Attendance Program may be made by school districts, community agencies and Magisterial District Judges by completing the Electronic School Attendance Improvement Plan (ESAIP). Parents may also request assistance from the program by either emailing or calling the telephone number listed above. If you have questions regarding the referral process and the ESAIP, please contact the Advancing School Attendance Program at the email address or telephone number listed above. If you want to access the ESAIP and the directions to complete the ESAIP, please refer to the following:

Please note: You will need the latest version of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these PDFs. Click here to update your Adobe Acrobat Reader.

  • For the “Directions to Complete the ESAIP” document, click below:
    pdfESAIP Directions
  • For the ESAIP Referral Form, click below. Unfortunately, it can not be filled out electronically; you must print the form and fill it out by hand. To submit the form, either scan it in and email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax it to the Advancing School Attendance Program at (610) 396-0105.
    pdfESAIP Referral Form2.2 MB
  • Para el formulario de referencia de ESAIP, haga clic a continuación. Desafortunadamente, no se puede llenar electrónicamente; debe imprimir el formulario y llenarlo a mano. Para enviar el formulario, escanéelo y envíelo por correo electrónico a This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. o envíelo por fax al Programa de asistencia escolar avanzada al (610) 396-0105.
    pdfESAIP Referral Form en Espanol2.2 MB
  • For a version of the ESAIP that you may print, review and use as a handwritten, rough draft, click below:
    pdfForm Print

Testimonials From Our Clients

Wilson West Middle School

"I have had a very positive experience working with the Advancing School Attendance Program (ASAP). The families I’ve referred have truly benefited from the support, and it’s clear how much care the case managers put into their work. They take the time to meet families where they are, building trust and genuine relationships that make a real difference.
What stands out most to me is how committed they are to helping families overcome barriers. They don’t just identify challenges—they actively connect families with resources and services that can improve their situation and support consistent school attendance.

I also really value the consistent communication between ASAP and our school. The regular check-ins help us stay aligned and ensure we are working together to support each student. Because of this partnership, I’ve seen improvements in both attendance and student engagement.

ASAP has been a meaningful support for our students and families, and I’m grateful for the impact they continue to make."

--Shelby Ryan, Assistant Principal at Wilson West Middle School 

Daniel Boone Area Middle School

The Advancing School Attendance Program (ASAP) at the Daniel Boone Area Middle School has been instrumental in helping our students overcome attendance barriers through a collaborative,
family-focused approach. By working side-by-side with families and school staff, ASAP Specialists have supported our families' individual needs with regular attendance checks.

--Jennifer Yetter, Assistant Principal at Daniel Boone Area Middle School

Exeter Township School District

"Partnering with SAM Truancy has been transformative for our K-12 attendance efforts. As the attendance contact for the district, I’ve seen how they truly go the extra mile to bridge the gap between our schools and our families. SAM doesn’t just look at the numbers; they look at the people behind them. They provide the kind of advocacy, resources, and practical tips that help families feel empowered to overcome the real-life barriers to getting their kids to school. Their team has been an absolute lifesaver in reaching out and getting our families truly engaged and excited about their students’ attendance again. We couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner."

--Ashley Rinehart, Social Worker with Exeter Township School District

Fleetwood Area Middle School

"Working with the Advancing School Attendance Program has made a significant impact on the support families in our district receive when addressing concerns about student attendance. The program has helped families connect with medical services at the school so they can obtain appropriate documentation from doctors to help guide decisions about the most appropriate learning environment for students.

They have also supported consistent communication between families and the school, helping ensure that families know, understand, and meet important deadlines. In addition, the organization has helped connect families with wraparound services and access to needed resources.

Through this partnership, our district has been able to better support families as they work to address barriers to attendance and keep students engaged in school."

--Jennifer R. Bergstresser, Assistant Principal at Fleetwood Area Middle School

"Our school loves working with and collaborating with staff from the Advancing School Attendance Program. The ASAP staff are an essential part of the success for many of our students and their families that struggle with getting to school. ASAP staff are always friendly and well-liked by students and families. They are easy to get in touch with and responsive to situations. Staff attend school meetings and also go to student homes to assist with planning for improved attendance. Fleetwood Area Middle School is proud to partner with the Advancing School Attendance Program and their staff!"

--Kimberly Price, M. Ed., School Counselor Grades 5 and 6 at Fleetwood Area Middle School

Kutztown Area High School

"Working with Ben from the SAM ASAP program has been a complete game changer! I had a student who was "falling through the cracks" because of him choosing not to come to school. After a court decision to include ASAP services was offered, the student has done a complete 180! Ben held the student and family accountable, which had a positive effect on the student's attendance record, which trickled into an increase in academics. Through the careful implementation of this service, ASAP helped get this student into BCTC, too! Working with them has been easy and completely supportive. The outcome could not have been better!"

--Karen Bruno, Learning Support Teacher at Kutztown Area High School

New Oxford High School

"Prior to our partnership with ASAP, our district resources were simply overextended. We could identify which students were struggling with attendance, but we lacked the personnel and time toprovide the intensive, one-on-one outreach those families actually required.

The ASAP team has bridged that gap perfectly. Instead of just monitoring absences, they work directly with parents and students to resolve the underlying issues keeping kids out of the classroom. This collaboration has taken a significant weight off our district staff and has led to a major improvement in student engagement. ASAP has become an invaluable partner in our efforts to keep students in school and on track!

--Alecia Kraus, Ed.D., Assistant Principal at New Oxford High School


"Before we started our partnership with ASAP, our county CYS program was overworked and understaffed. It was a challenge to get additional support for students beyond what the school could offer. The collaboration with ASAP has led to stronger connections with families, and thus, improved attendance for students. The ASAP staff works very closely WITH parents and students to overcome hurdles to school attendance. We very much appreciate our partnership with ASAP."

--John Beeman, Assistant Principal at New Oxford High School