Classmates Missing School: Linking Peers' Absenteeism to Student Test Performance

• In Event: Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Accountability in Schools: Featuring the Analytic Explorations of Graduate Student Scholars

Abstract

State and federal educational policymakers have begun mass dialogue regarding student absenteeism in schools, yet there is sparse research illustrating the role of classmate absenteeism on student assessment outcomes. This study uses an opportunity to learn (OTL) framework as a guide for understanding the ways in which peer attendance may influence student assessment outcomes in elementary grades. Using administrative data from a small, urban district in California, the role of classmate absenteeism is explored using various fixed effects models in addition to an instrumental variable strategy. Results are consistent across every model examined in this study, indicating that classmates who miss school are likely impacting other students' assessment outcomes. Recommendations for stakeholders and future research are discussed.

Authors

• Jacob Kirksey, University of California - Santa Barbara

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