The project was modeled after the findings from the
ECLS-K study and Chang and Romero (2008) that where
there was outreach from the elementary school there was better
attendance. The intervention was planned with school
nurses (N ¼ 3), social workers (N ¼ 2), data managers
(N ¼ 3), and assistant principals (N ¼ 2), and three principals
(N¼13) at each school to assure buy-in and suitability. Head
Start was 98% minority, and the two elementary schools in
the project were both minority majority schools (see Table 1).
Elementary School 1 had 249 students in kindergarten
through third grade. Elementary School 2 had 200 students
kindergarten through third grade. All students in Head Start
and kindergarten through third grades at the two elementary
schools were eligible for FNP contact with the parents when
their child’s cumulative school absences reached 10%.
Because the FNP was not on staff at either elementary
school, she received contact information of the families from
the respective social workers and school nurses. The Head
Start director and principals at the two elementary schools
agreed to allow the FNP, in collaboration with the school
nurses, social workers, and data managers to identify and
intervene with students and their families who were identified
as chronically and excessively absent from school.