The Attendance Gap: A Case Study in Hawaii

• In Event: 58.083 - Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: 58.083-3 - Achieving the Promise for Indigenous Peoples: Research and Praxis II

Abstract

Counts, such as absences and discipline referrals are ubiquitous as educational outcomes; however a majority of the educational research studies have not employed the proper statistical methods for analyzing them (Beaujean & Morgan, 2016). In this study we employed a statistical model for analyzing the 2014-15 absence data of elementary students in Hawaii’s public schools, and examine the relationship between student-level characteristics and absences. We mainly focus on the absences of Pacific Islander students who are often overlooked since they are usually grouped together with Asian students for reporting purposes. We discuss the findings’ implications for educators and policymakers.

Authors

• Malkeet Singh, Wake County Public School System

• Hugh H. Dunn, University of Hawaii