Alternative high school students are a demographic often relegated to the margins throughout their educational journey, stripped of the agency necessary for them to authentically engage in their learning. This Action Research study aimed to investigate the relationship between attendance and student engagement, with a particular emphasis on how agency can impact student engagement. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of staff and students who provided their lived experiences about traditional and alternative schools, the perceptions regarding attendance policies, and barriers to engagement. Based on the findings in Cycle 1, the action steps shifted focus to lack of agency as a barrier to student engagement. A committee of students was established to pilot the co-design of advisory curriculum as a vehicle to leverage student agency. The lessons from the co-construction were then implemented in a pilot run with staff across all advisories at the site to observe if student engagement was impacted. Student and staff participants provided reflections related to engagement in the co-construction process and overall observed engagement across the entire student population during the pilot implementation that was foundational to Cycle 2 evaluation. The study concluded that a positive increase in engagement can be seen from students when their school environment emphasizes voice, choice, and connectedness. Implications for the organization include the expansion of the co-construction committee format to include more student voices, as well as the potential for staff to infuse the concept into their instructional practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]