Under California law, public schools are funded based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). If students aren’t present—even for excused absences—districts lose funding. This direct impact on revenue highlights the critical question of how much a district can save with Saturday Attendance Recovery. As clarified by the California Department of Education (CDE), ADA is only generated when students are either:
- Physically present for in-person instruction, or
- Participating in compliant independent study programs.
To support districts in recovering lost ADA, California offers two powerful—but complex—mechanisms:
– Saturday School (Weekend Make-Up Classes)
– Attendance Recovery (AR) starting FY 2025–26
But meeting the legal requirements isn’t easy. That’s where Kodely comes in.
What the Law Says: Key Requirements to Generate ADA
Per the CDE, for attendance to count toward ADA, the following must be true:
- Students must be under immediate supervision of a certificated employee
- Instruction must meet minimum school day minutes per grade span
- Weekend make-up classes must:
- Be voluntary (except for truants)
- Be offered in-person, and also be offered during the week
- Provide free/reduced meals for eligible students
- Not exceed 5 days of attendance per student per week
- Attendance Recovery (AR) programs must:
- Occur outside the regular school day
- Be voluntary
- Be led by certificated staff
- Be fully documented and auditable
- Serve only classroom-based students
- Offer instruction that is substantially equivalent and aligned to academic standards
How Kodely Helps Districts Stay Compliant and Recover Funding
Kodely partners with California school districts to deliver ADA-compliant enrichment programs that meet every requirement outlined by the CDE—whether on Saturdays, after school, or during intersession. Here’s how:
1. Compliant Saturday School and Attendance Recovery Programs
Kodely runs structured, in-person sessions led by certificated instructors. Every class meets or exceeds California’s instructional time rules and is scheduled according to district calendars.
Example:
A district partners with Kodely to run 10 Saturday make-up sessions. For example, each session serves 100 students, and with an 80% attendance rate, the district recovers 800 ADA, equating to $64,000 in restored LCFF funding (based on $80/day per ADA).
2. Standards-Aligned and Substantially Equivalent Content
Programs include robotics, engineering, podcasting, environmental science, and digital storytelling. Specifically, each session includes lesson plans aligned to California content standards to meet AR’s “substantially equivalent” criteria.
3. Full Documentation and Audit Readiness
Districts receive:
- Daily sign-in logs
- Instructional minute breakdowns
- Certificated supervision logs
- Standards alignment reports
This makes Principal Apportionment submissions and audits seamless.
4. Integrated Meal Service Support
Additionally, Kodely coordinates with districts to ensure students enrolled in weekend programs receive free or reduced meals, per CDE requirements.
5. Flexible, Site-Based Scheduling
Whether it’s a Saturday program, intersession camp, or after-school AR rotation, Kodely designs programming around your site’s calendar and bell schedule to stay fully compliant with minimum day and minute requirements.
Bottom Line: Kodely Helps You Stay Compliant and Funded
California’s instructional time and attendance accounting guidelines are clear—and strict. Indeed, miss a requirement, and your ADA claim could be rejected. This makes understanding how much a district can save with Saturday Attendance Recovery not just an opportunity, but a necessity for compliant and financially sound operations.
Kodely ensures that doesn’t happen.
We help districts:
- Design programs aligned with EC Sections 46010.3, 46300, 46211, and more
- Recover thousands in lost ADA
- Engage students in meaningful, standards-based enrichment
- Meet every audit requirement without overloading internal staff
Let’s talk about how we can help your district recover ADA the right way.
Visit www.kodely.com to get started or request a customized ADA recovery plan for your schools.