Chronic Absence in the Early Grades Jane Quinn, Director Abe Fernández, Deputy Director November 8, 2010 | Portland, OR

Objectives  Review key definitions  Dispel four myths about absenteeism by examining some of the national research  Look closely at data from Multnomah County schools and districts  Learn and explore key strategies for improving attendance  Plan to take action

Key Definitions & National Research

Definitions Chronic Absence: missing 10% or more of school over the course of an academic year for any reason (excused or unexcused) Good Attendance: missing 5% or less over the course of an academic year Truancy: refers only to unexcused absences and is defined by each state, according to NCLB Average Daily Attendance: the percentage of enrolled students who attend school each day

Why is Chronic Absence Important?  Chronic absence in elementary school is associated with negative outcomes including low academic achievement, school truancy, dropping out, delinquency and substance abuse.  The educational experience of regularly attending children can be adversely affected when teachers must divert their attention to meet the learning and social needs of chronically absent children when they return to school.

MYTH #1: Attending Kindergarten regularly doesn’t really matter.

Early Impact on Academics Chronic absence in Kindergarten is associated with lower academic performance in 1 st grade for all children – especially reading for Latino children. Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

Chronic Absence in Kindergarten Affects 5 th Grade Among poor children, chronic absence in Kindergarten predicted lower 5th grade achievement. Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

Poor 6 th Grade Attendance Predicts Dropout Source: Baltimore Education Research Consortium

MYTH #2: We don’t need to worry about large numbers of students missing school until middle or high school.

Chronic Early Absence Can Reach High Levels Nationwide, 1 out of 10 K & 1 st graders are chronically absent. Chronic early absence can be even higher in some localities: across 9 districts, ranged from 5 to 25% of K-3 graders. Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

In NYC, 1 in 5 Elementary School Children are Chronically Absent  90,000 students in grades K-5 missed at least a month of school  In 5 of NYC’s 32 districts, at least 30% of elementary students were chronically absent Source: Center for NYC Affairs

MYTH #3: Most educators regularly monitor when students are chronically absent.

Most Schools and Districts Do Not Monitor Chronic Absence  Schools typically only track data on average daily attendance and truancy (unexcused absences)  But, both can mask high levels of chronic absence

Average Daily Attendance vs. Chronic Absence in Baltimore Source: Baltimore Education Research Consortium

Comparison of Attendance Measures in New York City Source: Center for NYC Affairs

MYTH #4: Because families are ultimately responsible for children getting to school every day, schools can’t do anything to address chronic absence.

What Factors Contribute to Chronic Absence?  Chronic early absence is associated with living in poverty.  Multiple maternal and family risks ( e.g., living in poverty, teen motherhood, single parenting, low maternal education, unemployment, poor maternal health, and multiple siblings) are associated with high levels of chronic early absence.

Schools + Communities Can Make a Difference Characteristics of Effective Strategies  Partner with community agencies to help parents carry out their responsibility to get children to school.  Make chronic absence a priority, set a target and monitor progress over time.  Examine factors contributing to chronic absence, especially from parent perspective  Begin early – ideally in Pre-K  Combine universal and targeted strategies.  Offer positive supports before punitive action.

What Do We Know About Multnomah County?

Chronic Absence is a Significant Problem Over 1 out of 5 in K-3 are chronically absent.

African American & American Indian/ AK Native Students Most Affected

In SUN Schools, 1 in 4 Students Miss 10% or More 25.6% of K-3 in SUN Schools are chronically absent, compared to 20.2% in non-SUN schools.

Higher Poverty Correlates with Chronic Absence

ADA & Chronic Absence in One Multnomah District

Strategies to Improve Attendance

Linkage to Early Childhood  Chronic early absence is lower among children who spent the year prior to kindergarten in a center or with a non-relative caregiver.  Participation in full day (vs. half-day) kindergarten seems to lessen the negative impact of chronic absence in kindergarten among poor children.

Implications for Action 1. Through Attendance Meetings, contact families promptly when children are absent and, as needed, provide long-term case management along with social, medical and economic supports; 2. Offer incentives for attendance to all children; 3. Create opportunities for parents and children to help each other attend school regularly. 4. Educate parents about the importance of school attendance starting in kindergarten, or even earlier through early childhood programs;

Implications for Action 5. Use legal action, only as a last resort, to reach the hardest to serve families 6. Improve schools so they effectively engage families and offer a high quality education. 7. Embed attention to chronic early absence in relevant community supports ranging from after school programs to school readiness or drop-out prevention initiatives to school based health programs.

Attendance Support Systems Source: Scott Perry / Linn Benton Lincoln ESD  What works?  What might work?  What are the challenges?

Taking Action

Final Thoughts Focusing on chronic absenteeism can contribute to:  Ongoing Needs Assessments  Partnership Development  Outcomes Measurement

When does Absence Require your Attention? Chronic Absence (≥ 10% absence) Warning Signs ( 5% absence) Satisfactory Attendance ( ≤5% absence)

nationalcenterforcommunityschools.org