Schools need a way to inform families when their student is not in school, and to encourage families to submit reasons for their student’s absence.
To make this process as easy as possible for schools and families - including those that can benefit from translated messages, we’re adding the ability for schools to create and set an automated message that will be sent to absent students each day. These automated messages can be set to go out at a specific time. Automated Daily Absence Messages will be part of the new Attendance Improvement Plus package.
When will the new Automated Daily Absence Messages be available?
The new Attendance Improvement Plus package will be available as an add on license for back-to-school 2025.
Who will have access to Automated Daily Absence Messages?
Automated Daily Absence Messages will be available in the TalkingPoints for Schools web application for partners who have purchased the Attendance Improvement Plus package. Users with permission to send and receive attendance messages will be able to edit the automated messages and set the daily time and group to receive the messages. students. Automated Daily Absence Messages will be sent from the attendance inbox.
How is the attendance data populated in TalkingPoints?
Data will be pulled from the student information system (SIS) and synchronized hourly.
Where can partners access and utilize Automated Daily Absence Messages?
Once released, users of the school product with permission to view the Attendance page will be able to access the Automated messages tab.
How does it work?
A school user with permission to view the Attendance page can navigate to the ‘Automated messages’ tab.
Automated messages default to off. To turn them on, select a group to send to (either all absent students, all unexcused absences, or unexcused absences without a reason).
Users can update or edit the message content, or send it as is. Note: there is a new merge field [totalAbsenceCount], which will show each contact the total number of days their student has been absent so far this school year.
Users can set a time for the automated message to begin sending. The message send time can be selected in 30-minute increments.
Clicking ‘Set’ will save & turn on the daily automated message
Once the message is turned on, the page will also show when the last automated message was sent.
When messages are on, they can be edited and saved or turned off.
How will automated messages appear for families?
Automated Daily Absence Messages will appear to SMS and Family app contacts just like any other message that comes from the school.
How do Automated Daily Absence Messages work with the other Attendance Improvement Plus package features?
Automated Daily Absence Messages enhance the Attendance Improvement Plus package by streamlining daily attendance tasks and transforming traditional one-way communication (e.g., robocalls) into meaningful two-way dialogue. This helps uncover the root causes of attendance issues.
These messages are sent through the new Attendance Inbox, another key feature of the package. This allows all family responses to be centralized in one place, making it easier for schools to manage and respond efficiently.