Causes and Impact of Chronic
Absenteeism
A Challenge and Opportunity
Nashville TN
September 30, 2015
www.attendanceworks.org
Attendance Works
Attendance Works is a national and state initiative that
promotes awareness of the important role that reducing
chronic absence plays in achieving academic success starting
with school entry. We are an implementation partner for
attendance with the Campaign for Grade Level Reading.
Our three focus areas to improve student attendance are:
• Build public awareness and political will to address chronic
absence
• Foster state campaigns
• Nurture local practice
www.attendanceworks.org
2
Warm-Up Exercise ~ Quick Write
• One story about how you sought to help a
student or a school improve attendance?
• What did you learn from that experience
about what works?
• What was hard? What barriers did you face?
3
What Is Chronic Absence?
• ADA = How many students typically show up to school each
day? California, for funding purposes, it is also defined as total
Average Daily
Attendance
days of student attendance divided by total days of student
instruction.
Truancy
• Truancy = Who is missing school without permission? It is
a trigger for possible legal action. Under NCLB, define by
each state. In Tennessee, truancy = 5 unexcused
absences.
Chronic
Absence
• CA = Who is academically at risk because they missed too
much school any reason – excused, unexcused,
suspensions. Researchers typically define chronic absence
as missing 10% or more of school.
4
Chronic Absence Versus Truancy
Number of students missing 10%
versus 10 unexcused absences
(San Francisco Unified School District)
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
# chronic absentees - 2010-2011
# of students with 10 unexcused absences (as of May 16th 2011)
5
High Levels of Average Daily Attendance
(ADA) Can Mask Chronic Absence
90% and even 95% ≠ A
Chronic Absence For 6 Elementary Schools
in Oakland, CA with 95% ADA in 2012
30%
30%
25%
26%
25%
20%
15%
10%
Chronic Absence for 6 Schools in New
York City with 90% ADA in 2011-12
12%
13%
13%
15%
16%
20%
20%
20%
A
B
C
21%
23%
20%
15%
7%
10%
5%
5%
0%
0%
A
B
C
D
% Chronic Absence
E
F
D
E
F
% Chronic Absence
98% ADA = little chronic absence
95% ADA = don’t know
93% ADA = significant chronic absence
6
Why We May Not Notice
Chronic Absence
Absences Add Up
Chronic Absence = 18 days of absence = 2 days a month
7
What do you know about
attendance and chronic absence?
1) How many of you know your average daily
attendance?
2) How many know the percent of students
who are chronically absent?
8
Why Does Attendance Matter
for Achievement?
What we know from research around the country
9
Attendance is An Essential Ingredient
of Academic Success
Attainment
Over Time
Achievement
Every Year
Attendance
Every Day
Developed by Annie E. Casey Foundation & America’s Promise Alliance
For more info go to www.americaspromise.org/parentengagement
10
Improving Attendance Matters
Because It Reflects:
Exposure to language: Starting in Pre-K, attendance equals exposure
to language-rich environments especially for low-income children.
Time on Task in Class: Students only benefit from classroom
instruction if they are in class.
On Track for Success: Chronic absence is a proven early warning sign
that a student is behind in reading by 3rd grade, failing courses middle and
high school, and likely to drop-out.
College Readiness: Attendance patterns predicts college enrollment
and persistence.
Engagement : Attendance reflects engagement in learning.
Effective Practice: Schools, communities and families can improve
attendance when they work together.
(For research, see: http://www.attendanceworks.org/research/)
11
Starting in PreK, More Years of Chronic Absence =
Need for Intensive Reading Support By 2nd Grade
Some risk
At risk
* Indicates that scores are significantly different from scores of students who are never chronically absent, at p<.05 level; **p<.01; ***p<.001
12
Multiple Years of Elementary Chronic Absence
= Worse Middle School Outcomes
Each year of chronic absence in elementary school is associated with
a substantially higher probability of chronic absence in 6th grade
18.0x
Increase in
probability of
6th grade
chronic
absence
Chronic absence in 1st
grade is also associated
with:
7.8x
5.9x
•
•
Lower 6th grade test
scores
Higher levels of
suspension
Years of Chronic Absence in Grades 1-5
Oakland Unified School District SY 2006-2012, Analysis By Attendance Works
13
The Effects of Chronic Absence on
Dropout Rates Are Cumulative
With every year of
chronic
absenteeism, a
higher percentage
of students
dropped out of
school.
http://www.utahdataalliance.org/downloads/ChronicAbsenteeismResearchBrief.pdf
14
Attendance Is Even More Important for
Graduation for Students In Poverty
Presentation to: The Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap
November 7, 2013, CT State Dept of Education.
15
Chronic Absence in High School
Predicts Lower College Participation
In Rhode Island, only 11% of chronically absent high school students
persisted into a 2nd year of college vs. 51% of those with low absences.
Rhode Island Data Hub: May 2014
16
How Can We Address
Chronic Absence?
17
Reflection
• Think about a child you know who struggles
to get to school every day.
– What is a key barrier he or she faces?
– What helps him/her get to school even
when it is difficult?
18
Why Are Students Missing Too
Much School?
Myths
Absences are only a
problem if they are
unexcused
Sporadic versus
consecutive absences
aren’t a problem
Barriers
Chronic disease
Lack of access to
health or dental care
Poor
Transportation
Aversion
Child struggling
academically
Lack of engaging
instruction
Poor school climate
and ineffective school
discipline
Trauma
Attendance only
matters in the older
grades
No safe path to school
Parents had negative
school experience
19
Leading Health Related Causes
Oral Health
Asthma
Nearly one in ten children age 414 are diagnosed with asthma
accounting for one-third of all
days of missed instruction. (In
TN @ 12% of children have
problems with Asthma.*)
Children miss nearly two
million school days due to
oral health issues every
year. (In TN, 22% did not
have preventative dental
care. *)
* Source = AECF Kids Count
Leading Health Related Causes
Asthma
Bullying
Oral Health
Mental
Health
Nutrition
Vision
Going to School Every Day Reflects
When Families Have …
Hope
for a better future
+
Faith
that school will help you or your child succeed
+
Capacity
Resources, skills, knowledge needed to get to school
22
AW Recommended Site Level Strategies
23
Improving Attendance Requires a
Multi-Tiered Approach
TIER 3 Students who missed 20% or more
of the prior school year (severe chronic
absence) or have a history of truancy.
• Intensive case
management with
coordination of public
agency and legal
response as needed
High
Cost
Truancy
interventions
TIER 2 Students exhibiting
chronic absence (missing 10%).
TIER 1
All students
• Provide personalized early outreach
• Meet with student/family to develop plan
• Offer attendance Mentor/Buddy
• Recognize good and improved attendance
• Educate & engage students and families
• Monitor attendance data
• Clarify attendance expectations and goals
• Establish positive and engaging school climate
Low
Cost
24
Use your worksheet to reflect on
possible tiered intervention
25
Tier 1: Creating a positive, engaging school
climate that explicitly supports attendance
Attendance is higher when schools:
- promote a sense of belonging and connection including
noticing when students show up
- make learning so engaging students don’t want to miss
class while creating understanding of how easily absences
can add up
- engage in restorative practice not punishment
- help our most economically challenged families and
students meet their basic needs so all have the opportunity
to get to school.
- Build awareness about how absences can easily add
26
up to too much time lost in the classroom.
Pilot Survey by Todd Rogers
(Harvard University)
Vast majority of parents, even those of students with excessive absences,
believe their child’s attendance is same as classmates, better than
classmates, or just don’t know
80%
70%
60%
% of parents who 50%
think their child's
40%
attendance is...
30%
…better than classmates
…same as classmates
...don't know
20%
10%
0%
Bottom 20%
(~18 days)
20%-40%
(~10 days)
27
Tier 1: Communication, Education,
and Engagement
28
Build Awareness of How Absences
Add Up
a. Send home handouts with information & tips.
(http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/for-parents/)
b. Talk with parents early and often to share the value of
good attendance and let them know that you are
there to help.
c. Consider using an activity at a parent event to
demonstrate the importance of avoiding absences.
d. Utilize written commitments to encourage good
attendance such as a pledge or the attendance goal
work sheet.
29
Parent Video & Discussion Guide
• SETTING THE STAGE
• VIDEO (6 minutes)
• FACILITATED CONVERSATION
– THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHRONIC
ABSENCE
– HOW TO IMPROVE ABSENTEEISM
•
•
•
•
FAMILY PRACTICE
INCREASE SOCIAL CAPITAL
IDENTIFY HOW SCHOOL CAN HELP
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Discussion: When and where might you use these materials with
a family or a group?
30
Make Creating Back Up Plans a Norm:
Student Attendance Success Plan
Tip: Start with the Help Bank and the Calendar on the 3rd page.
Offer up first page as homework to take home.
31
Leveraging Parent Teacher
Conferences
• How many of your work in a district or a
school where parent teacher conferences
are still held?
• Do you discuss attendance during those
conferences?
32
What might educators and
community partners say to families?
Satisfactory
Attendance
Congratulate
parents on making
attendance a
priority and
encourage them to
keep it up. Ask
them what they’re
doing that’s
enabling them to
be so successful.
Let parents know
that you are
concerned about
attendance
because their
child is beginning
to head off track,
and it is easy for
absences to add
up.
At-Risk
Chronic
Absence
If student is right around
10% or a little above
Let parents know their
child may be
academically at risk
because they have
missed so much school.
Discuss underlying
causes and how you can
help.
If student is severely
chronically absent (e.g.
>20%)
The type of challenges
these families face may
differ from those with
more moderate absence
problems. Be prepared to
touch on difficult topics,
be supportive, and be
ready to connect to
community resources.
33
Talking to Families about
Absences: A Role Play
Teacher Perspective: It’s October and Alyssa has
already missed 8 days of school and is frequently
tardy. The teacher has noticed that Alyssa seems
more reserved and less attentive than normal in
class.
Mother’s Perspective: Alyssa has asthma and its
causing her to miss school. Alyssa is not skipping
school without permission so these absences
aren’t a problem.
34
Framing the Conversation to Build a
Relationship of Trust
1
Learn
Learn about the student’s family. Ask what their vision is for their
child’s future. What are their hopes and dreams for them?
Share
Share positive things you’ve observed about the student. Share your own
vision for student learning & development, including helping put students
on a pathway to success by encouraging a habit of good attendance.
Inform
Review attendance report with parents. Tailor your conversation to
student’s level of absenteeism and inform parents of possible impacts of
missing school. Connect attendance back to parents’ hopes and dreams
for their child.
Discuss
Discuss the challenges parents face in getting their children to school, as
well as strengths they can build upon. For chronically absent students, try
to understand the barriers that are keeping their children from school.
2
3
4
5
Arrive at a
Plan
Think through strategies with parents for addressing absences and help
them develop an attendance improvement plan. Offer referrals to
services as needed and ask if there are other ways you can help.
35
Tier 2 Interventions
Tier 2: Targeted interventions that remove identified barriers and
increase positive connections that motivate improved
attendance.
Who are the families in Tier 2?
• Missing 10% -20% of the prior or current school year for any reason.
• Families experiencing some challenge e.g. chronic disease, job loss,
divorce, etc.
For which families is Tier 2 sufficient?
• Families with barriers to school attendance who may not understand
how to access support.
• Families who see school as “the deliverer of bad news”.
• Families who are more successful when there is a positive
relationship with someone at the school.
36
Tier 2: Criteria for Identifying Which
Students Need It
Chronic absence (missed 10% or more of school) in
the prior year, assuming data is available.
And/or starting in the beginning of the school year,
student has:
In first 2 weeks
In first month
(4 weeks)
In first 2 months
(8 weeks)
2 absences
2-3 absences
4 absences
Missing
10% any
time after
37
Possible Tier 2 Interventions
(See Power of Positive Connections Toolkit)
Partner with
families/students
to develop
Student
Attendance
Success Plan
Assign
Attendance
Buddies
Recruit for
engaging Beforeor After-School
Activities
Priority Early
Outreach for
Positive Linkages
and Engagement
Connect to
Walk- to-School
Companion
Offer plan or
contacts for
Health Support
38
Key Finding: Success Mentors & Supporting Infrastructure
Substantially Improved Student Attendance
• Students with prior histories of chronic absenteeism with a
Success Mentor gained nearly two additional weeks of
school (9 days), which is educationally significant.
• In the top 25% of schools, students with Success Mentors
gained one additional month of school.
• High School students with Success Mentors (including
those overage for their grade) were 52% more likely to
remain in school the following year.
• Mentees reported they liked having a mentor and the
mentor helped improve their attendance, schoolwork,
motivation, and confidence.
39
MAYOR’S INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE 39
Tier 3 Interventions
Tier 3 provides intensive interventions, often from multiple agencies or
specialists within a school district or community.
Who are families in Tier 3?
• Missing 20% or more of the prior or current school year for any reason.
• Already involved in the system (child welfare, juvenile or criminal
justices)
For which families is Tier 3 necessary?
• Families who feel hopeless because of the barriers they face.
• Families who are unable to experience success without intervention.
• Families who have a negative relationship with school.
• Families who require ongoing support for sustained success.
36
Who Can Help Families at Tier 3?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Community schools
Head Start family liaisons
School integrated service teams
Family resource centers
County Social Services
McKinney Vento representatives
Who would you add to this list?
37
Ingredients for System-wide
Success & Sustainability
Use positive relationships
to engage parents and
understanding about why
monitoring absence is
essential to a better
future.
District
Community
Positive
Engagement
Schools
Actionable
Data
Is accurate, accessible,
and regularly reported
Students
& Families
Ensures monitoring &
incentives to address
chronic absence
Shared
Accountability
Capacity
Building
Strategic partnerships between
district and community partners
address specific attendance
barriers and mobilize support for
all ingredients
Expands ability to
interpret data and work
together to adopt best
practices
42
Use data to identify schools in need of
intervention as well as positive outliers
Sample Report: Anderson County
School Name
Anderson County High School
Andersonville Elementary
Briceville Elementary
Claxton Elementary
Clinton Middle School
Clinton High School
Dutch Valley Elementary
Fairview Elementary
Grand Oaks Elementary
Lake City Elementary
Lake City Middle School
Norris Elementary
Norris Middle School
Norwood Elementary
Norwood Middle School
Clinch River Community School
Percent of Students who
were absent 10 percent of
enrolled days
14%
7%
16%
11%
9%
16%
12%
9%
13%
13%
12%
7%
10%
17%
8%
25%
Percent of Students who were
absent 20 percent of enrolled
days
3%
1%
4%
2%
2%
5%
1%
2%
3%
2%
1%
2%
1%
3%
0%
9%
This report was produced for planning and discussion purposes only. The population of students for
whom we counted absences must have been present for 45 days during the 2014-2015 school year
in order to have been classified as having missed 10 or 20 percent of their enrolled days. Schools
with high rates of transience (alternative schools, adult, etc.) have not been included in this report.
Positive Outlier Toolkit
To document effective practices in schools with high
levels of poverty but low levels of chronic absence
http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/forschool-districts/positive-outliers-toolkit/
44
Use data to identify the right points for
interventions
What percentage of students in each grade level were MODERATELY or SEVERELY chronically absent?
18.0%
16.0%
14.0%
12.0%
10.7%
10.0%
8.0%
9.3%
12.2%
9.5%
6.0%
9.7%
8.6%
7.3%
4.0%
2.0%
0.0%
7.7%
6.9%
8.9%
2.1%
1.7%
1.1%
1.7%
1.5%
8.8%
PERCENT
severe chronic
absence
7.4%
5.7%
4.8%
2.5%
PERCENT
moderate
chronic absence
9.6%
1.4%
1.6%
2.8%
5.3%
5.6%
3.0%
2.5%
Example from K-12 Combination Tool
45
Sample Report: Anderson County
46
Turn to your partner
• To what extent is chronic absence a priority
in your district?
• What could you do to help make the case?
47
Announcements
& Resources
48
What are you planning in 2015?
Post your community’s plans for Attendance Awareness
Month 2015 on our map!
http://awareness.attendanceworks.org/map/
49
The Superintendents Call to Action
Prioritize
Attendance
Mobilize
the
Community
Drive With
Data
To sign-up for the Call to Action, or to learn more, please visit:
www.attendanceworks.org/superintendents-call-to-action
50
Leading Attendance
Principals can:
a) Cultivate A School Wide Culture
of Attendance
b) Use Chronic Absence Data to
Assess Need For Additional
Support
c) Develop Capacity to Adopt
Effective Attendance Practice
d) Advocate for Additional
Resources and Policy to Improve
Attendance
http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/schools/principals/
51
Nominate a Principal
When it comes to attendance, the principal deserves a PAL!
The inaugural PAL (Principal Attendance Leader) award:
• Recognizes school leaders who have effectively lead their
school teams to reduce chronic absence
• Highlights best practices in leading attendance with stories
and a webinar at the conclusion of Attendance Awareness
Month
Nominate a principal today!
http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/for-schooldistricts/nominate-a-principal/
52
Chronic Absence =
The Warning Light On A Car Dashboard
The Parallels
• Ignore it at your
personal peril!
• Address early or
potentially pay more
(lots more) later.
• The key is to ask why
is this blinking? What
could this mean?
53
District Attendance Self-Assessment
54
Instructions
1. Use dots to post your response on the
charts
2. Step back and look at patterns. What do
you notice when you look at the charts.
Where are areas of strength?
Where are major gaps?
3. Thursday morning Tennessee State
Dept. of Education staff will lead a brief
reflection on the collective results.
55