2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between attendance and grades. Given the generally lower outcomes in engineering and computing courses, an effective policy that improves attendance can potentially have a positive effect on student outcomes. However, traditional policies are either too lenient and ineffective or overly stringent and inflexible. In this study we present an alternative: an Outcome-Based Attendance Policy which requires and grades attendance but allows students who do not attend the opportunity to earn back attendance points by demonstrating competence in the material, as evidenced by achieving a certain threshold grade in all other assessments. This approach is designed to give students agency in how they engage with the course and material while emphasizing the importance of participation. It shifts the focus to learning *outcomes* rather than the *process*.

We document our experience in developing and administering this policy for laboratories in introductory computing courses. We present and analyze data from several years of implementing this policy and share our observations and best practices for those considering adopting or revising attendance policies in their own courses.