When Students Miss School: The Role of Timing of Absenteeism in Student Achievement

• In Event: 72.048 - Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: 72.048-11 - Examining Interventions and Outcomes for At-Risk Students

Abstract

Policy and practice have charged forward with emphasizing the necessity to reduce school absenteeism in the fall in order to boost student achievement. However, prior to this study, no empirical basis served to bolster these efforts. To address this gap, this study examined whether fall versus spring absenteeism was linked to spring state exam scores for a sample of elementary school children over three years. Using district data, which provided the precise day in which the absence occurred, the findings suggested that fall absences held no predictive power on spring exam scores. However, a greater number of spring absences was associated with lower spring testing performance with the most critical period being the 30-day window leading up to the test.

Authors

• Michael A. Gottfried, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Jacob Kirksey, University of California - Santa Barbara