A school counselor wants to implement a program designed to improve attendance rates in the school. Which of the following is the best way for the school counselor to gather data to design the most appropriate intervention?

While reviewing existing attendance data is helpful in understanding trends and patterns of absenteeism, it does not provide qualitative insight into why students are absent. This data alone cannot inform targeted interventions since it lacks the context needed to address the root causes of the issue.

Asking parents about their children's absenteeism may yield some useful information, but it relies on parents’ perceptions and may not accurately reflect the students' own experiences or challenges. This method also lacks the immediacy and relevance that direct student feedback would provide in understanding the factors contributing to absenteeism.

Examining the school attendance policy can help clarify the rules around absenteeism but does not address the reasons why students are absent in the first place. Understanding policy is important, but it is less impactful without knowing the personal or systemic challenges students face that lead to absenteeism.