Kimberly S. McDuffie, Ed.D Principal Intern

New Hanover County Schools Sgt. Eugene Ashley High School

Collaborative Conference For Student Achievement Greensboro, NC

Absenteeism Attrition & Retention Factors Contributing to Absenteeism Push Effects Pull Effects

Effects on Student Engagement/Drop out Student Attendance: What’s Your Role? School District School Administration Teachers Parents Community

Outline Main Level of Focus: Elementary-High

School

2

Persistent absence or habitual failure to appear

regularly.

Tendency to be away from work/school without good reason.

The practice of not being present.

North Carolina Compulsory Attendance

Ages 7-16

Absenteeism

3

Excused:

Injury‘

Illness

Death

School activities

Court/legal issues

Unexcused

Skipping school/truancy

Any absence not listed as excused

Absences: Excused/Unexcused

4

Chronic Absenteeism eventually leads to student

drop outs.

= =

Attrition and Retention

Chronic Absenteeism

Student Drop outs

School Culture and School Climate: How does this impact Attrition and Retention?

5

Factors Contributing to Student Absenteeism

6

Absenteeism

Push Effects

Testing

Low Academic Achievement

School Safety Faculty/Staff

Support/Lack of school involvement/discipline

issues

Results

Ending the Journey

Pull Effects`

Home-related issues/Divorce/Marriage

Violence/Abuse

New birth/Death/older sibling influence

Young parenting/Criminal Involvement/ caregiver/Excessive

moving

Results

Setting the Stage

Teetering/Winnowing Ending the Journey

7

Push effects: issues

within the school

setting.

Testing

Low academic

achievement

Unsupportive

teachers/staff

Safety concerns

Bullying

Hazing

Peer discipline

problems

Lack of Social Skills

(not fitting in)

Seeking peer approval

Stereotyping/labeling

Push Effects

8

Pull effects: external

issues such as family related problems.

Divorce

Death

Violence

Abuse

Change in family dynamics

Lack of home discipline

Lack of parent support

Generational Truancy

Family vacations during school time

Lack of parent presence

Poor parenting skills

Lack of parent involvement & school communication

Pull Effects

9

Student Engagement & Disengagement

10

The Glowing Student

Teacher’s favorite

The thriving student

Smart

Good mannerisms

The involved student

Athletes

clubs

Honors/AP Student

Hard working on level student

Student Engagement

11

Setting the Stage

Teetering & Winnowing

Living invisibly

Walking in the dark Push & Pull Effects

Ending the Journey/Dropout

Stages of Disengagement

12

Discussion/Q & A

What can we do to increase attendance?

13

McDuffie, K. S. (2013). Motivating students to complete

high school through career and technical education. Ann Arbor: UMI Dissertation Publishing.

*All referenced research from dissertation http://gradworks.umi.com/35/68/3568559.html

Reference List

14

http://www.elementaryed.ualberta.ca/~/media/elementaryed/Documents/Centre

s/CRTED/ComposingLives_FinalReport.pdf Absenteeism. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 23, 2013, from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absenteeism

http://www.wcpss.net/policy-files/series/policies/6000-bp.html

http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_115C/Article_26.html

http://www.every1graduates.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/FINALChronicAbsenteeismReport_May16.pdf

Scanlon, D., & Mellard, D. (2002). Academic and participation profiles of school-age dropouts with and without disabilities. Exceptional Children, 68(2), 239-258.

Reference List Continued

15