A Collaborative Approach to Decrease Student Absenteeism: Oxford (Mississippi) and the University of Mississippi

• In Event: Bridging Institutional Divides for Continuous Improvement: The Improvement Leadership Education and Development (iLEAD) Network

Abstract

The problem of chronic absenteeism in K-12 education is considered "a hidden crisis” according to the U.S. Department of Education. Specifically, this research highlights the depth of chronic absenteeism, its causes, and consequences for learners.

Chronic absenteeism contributes to adverse academic and social outcomes.
A California study suggests that fewer than 20 percent of children who are chronically absent from kindergarten and first grade can read at grade level by the time they reach third grade (compared to 64 percent of students who attend school regularly). Chronic absenteeism has a snowball effect, pushing students further behind each year. Further research indicates that, for eighth grade students, attendance and course failure are “almost deterministic predictors” of high school completion.

Pilot Program
One key strategy to address chronic absenteeism is to create open communication between teachers and parents. To test this practice, the University of Mississippi School of Education, in partnership with the Oxford School District, developed a clinical practice pilot to reduce absenteeism in different schools through a more engaged parent-teacher relationship. As part of the pilot, undergraduate, senior student teachers serving the district high school (grades 9 – 12) and one elementary school (grades 3 – 4) personally phoned the parent or guardian of all students for each absence from their class. The pilot project began January 2019 and concluded in May 2019.

Goals
Student teachers were instructed to mention that the child was missed in class as well as positive qualities of the student. In addition, the student teacher also asked the parent if he/she would like the material/work that their child missed that day. If so, the student teacher would electronically send the work to the parent. The goal of the project was to see if direct communication with parents at the time of absence would have a positive, significant impact on chronic absenteeism.

Results
UM-SOE’s clinical pilot with Oxford School District resulted in a reduction of absences for roughly one-third of the treatment group. In total, 110 students (65 from elementary and 45 from high school) recorded absences during both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years. The pilot project saw a reduced missed day count among 40 of those students, with all but one chronically-absent elementary school student falling below the 18-day threshold.
Notably, 52 percent of calls that went out in Spring 2019 were answered. Thirty-six percent of the calls were answered by parents, indicating that parents do answer phone calls despite the prevalence of text and email communication. Controlling for parents from the sample who had proactively made contact, a total of 62 percent of calls were answered (43 percent by parents).

Author

• David Rock, University of Mississippi