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Running Head: PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Student Perceptions About School Attendance and the

Factors That Encourage Daily Attendance Behaviors

LeAnne R. Cox

Intern Project

School Counseling Specialization

Portland State University

2006

Professional Responsibility: This project has been reviewed by collegial professional peers and has been submitted for on-line publication before being evaluated by faculty members from Portland State University. I am the author and take full responsibility for the project’s contents and quality. This work serves as a baseline for my professional school counselor skills and demonstrates what I have done to develop and/or assess my actions directed toward serving students and schools. In other words, this is a snapshot or one indicator of my work at this stage of my career. Citation: Cox, L. R. (2006). Student and Teacher Perceptions about School Attendance and the Factors that Encourage Daily Attendance Behaviors. Retrieved [date] from Portland State University, Counselor of Education, School Counseling Specialization, School Counseling in Action, Intern Projects 2006. Web site: http://www.ed.pdx.edu/coun/sca.htm

Perceptions About School Attendance 2

Student Perceptions About School Attendance and the Factors That Encourage

Daily Attendance Behaviors

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to share the results of an Action Research Project that

assessed the effectiveness of an elementary school’s attendance incentive programs. The research

also elicited student and teacher feedback about factors that encourage daily attendance.

Introduction

Birch Elementary School is located in the heart of the Rockwood District in East

Portland. The student population is diverse in terms of ethnicity, culture, race and native

language. The students share the burden of poverty, with over 90% of the students receiving free

and reduced breakfast and lunch (80% free, 10% reduced). As of 2004-2005, Birch School

ranked second lowest in Socio-Economic Status (SES) in the state of Oregon. The students

dwell in a neighborhood with the highest crime rate in the Portland Metropolitan Area. As is

evident from these statistics, the life of a typical Birch student is not easy.

The Birch Elementary student population was 570 in 2004-2005. Figures from 2003-2004

show that the mobility rate was 52%, which means that more than half of the student population

changed over the course of the school year. Only about one third of the students continue at

Birch from kindergarten through fifth grade. These changes in school population pose challenges

in the attempt to create a cohesive school culture and academic continuity for the students.

Yet among the challenges, Birch students have special qualities that draw talented and

progressive-minded teachers to its ranks. One of the joys of Birch is working with its ethnically

diverse student population. Out of the 72% who are Limited English Proficient (LEP), 70% are

Spanish-speaking, 16% are Russian-speaking, and the remaining 14% comprise smaller language


minority groups such as Bosnian, Hmong, Purapecha (indigenous Mexicans), Romanian, and

Ukrainian. Teachers find the language diversity exciting and Birch’s late-exit bilingual program

reflects its progressive thinking about teaching students of other languages.

Another special quality about Birch students is their evident joy in being at school.

Because their home lives are often so trying, it is believed by many staff members that the

students see school as their refuge. They aspire to learn English, they play spirited soccer games

at lunch recess, they strive to earn awards at assemblies, and they earnestly love their teachers.

Because school is a refuge from a difficult life and school success is a predictor of future

accomplishment, daily school attendance is an important factor for the Birch student. The

attendance rates at Birch are not encouraging. In 2004-2005 the Oregon Department of

Education’s School Report Card shows Birch students attending at an average rate of 92.7%,

compared to the state rate of 94.4%. This means that the average Birch student missed 12 days of

school, or 7% of the school year! A more in-depth look at Birch attendance shows even more

disheartening results. Of the 570 students enrolled last year, 139 students were absent for 16 or

more days. In other words, nearly one fourth of the student population missed over three weeks

of school instruction.

The impact of absenteeism at Birch is multiplied when one considers the academic

challenges the students already face with limited English proficiency, poverty, and family stress.

Positive school attendance is of utmost importance for an average Birch student, who arrives to

kindergarten already one academic year behind his or her non-impoverished peers. In response to

the absenteeism, an “attendance team” was formed during the 2004-2005 school year. The

members include the school counselors, the attendance secretary, the school district’s attendance

social worker, the Birch “Schools Uniting Neighborhoods” (SUN) coordinator, and the Birch


SUN social worker. The school administrator keeps informed through our team meeting minutes

and occasionally visits for an update. The team meets on a weekly basis. The team’s objective is

to increase attendance by monitoring chronically absent students (defined as three or more

unexcused absences in a two week period) and applying interventions in this order: 1) teacher

phone call to parent, 2) secretary phone call to parent, and 3) home visit by district attendance

social worker. While the team felt it had some success, it realized that it was only attempting to

help the frequently absent students and decided to try some new interventions to promote a

school-wide awareness of attendance. It began awarding students with monthly “perfect

attendance” ribbons and recognition at assemblies. The team also began awarding classrooms

with daily attendance of 96% and above. In addition, the team required teacher phone calls to

parents of frequently absent students before a teacher could make an attendance referral to the

team. While applying these interventions, the team wondered whether these practices were truly

effective in improving student attendance.

Area of Focus

The purpose of my research is to assess the variables that encourage positive attendance

behaviors of Birch elementary students. By reviewing the literature, analyzing attendance

statistics, interviewing students, and surveying teachers, I hope to answer the following

questions: What does the literature say about factors that increase attendance rates? How does

Birch student attendance aggregate by ethnicity and grade level? How do students perceive

school attendance and its importance? What makes students come to school or miss school? Do

students feel that the attendance incentives have been helpful? What have teachers done in the

classroom to increase attendance? Through my data analysis I plan to inform the attendance team

and school staff at large about new ideas for action to improve school attendance.


Review of the Literature

On the surface, daily school attendance rates can appear positive. We consider a score of

90% an “above average” score in the academic world. However, in a 180-day school year, a

daily attendance rate of 93% means that students missed an average of 13 or more days of

school. This is by no means an achievement. As one researcher puts it, “There isn’t an employer

anywhere who wouldn’t be concerned about such a record.” (Hoachlander, Dykman &

Godowsky, 2001).

School absenteeism and its related problems are an issue among school districts

nationwide. In 1998, public school administrators reported absenteeism, truancy and tardiness as

the highest-ranking disciplinary issues in their schools (Baker, Sigmon & Nugent, 2001). The

detrimental effects of chronic nonattendance (defined as 20 or more days missed in a single

school year) are multi-layered and far-reaching. Not only does nonattendance affect the student,

but his or her family, school and larger community as well.

Most notably, research shows that school attendance and achievement rates are

correlated. Although the causal relationship between the two variables is debated (i.e., whether

children are absent due to low achievement or low achievement is due to excessive absences)

increasingly sophisticated research shows that absenteeism directly influences lower

achievement (Barth, 1984). Absenteeism in the early grades indicates a disengagement from

school that, left unchecked, often continues into middle and high school (Lehr, Sinclair &

Christenson, 2004). Early absenteeism can also predict one’s future exit-status from high school.

One study found that, compared to their graduating peers, students who dropped out of high

school were absent twice as often in fifth grade and three times as often in ninth grade

(Barrington & Hendricks, 1989). When combining the variables of attendance, behavior, and


academic performance, researchers could distinguish by third grade, with 70% accuracy, the

students who dropped out of school from their graduating peers (Barrington & Hendricks). These

studies undermine the importance of encouraging positive attendance behaviors in the early

grades.

Not only does positive school attendance affect academic success of the individual

student, it also influences his or her ability to socialize, cope with separation, form appropriate

bonds and attachments and develop positive self-esteem (Barth, 1984). Some researchers

theorize that early avoidance strategies of children who don’t attend school can develop into

issues of agoraphobia, depression and anxiety in later adult life (Barth). Students also miss the

development of crucial skills such as competition, teamwork, and communication, which are

fostered daily in school.

Chronic nonattendance not only affects the student, it also puts a stress on the family

system and schools. Families can face harsh mandatory attendance penalties, increased childcare

expenses, and may resort to neglect or abuse of the student due to increased stress on family

resources (Barth, 1984). Schools can suffer strict penalties when daily attendance rates average

under a targeted percentage, resulting in sanctions or loss of funding. Teachers also encounter the

time-consuming tasks of creating make-up assignments and modifying their curriculum for the

absent student.

Communities are also affected by school truancy. The U.S. Department of Justice has

found a correlation between high rates of nonattendance and daytime crime (Baker et al., 2001).

In Tacoma, Washington in the year 2000, for example, juveniles committed 35% of thefts and

20% of assaults during school hours. Not only is increased crime a consequence of school

truancy, the financial impact on the community is also substantial, due to a less-educated


workforce and higher social service costs. School dropouts are more likely to face

unemployment, incarceration and dependency on social services (Lehr et al., 2004). Clearly,

school attendance is an issue which, when addressed with targeted interventions, will improve

the outlook for the student and his or her family, school and greater community.

Traditionally, many schools attempt to rectify the dilemma of nonattendance by targeting

a single “problem area.” For example, social workers are sent on a visit to the chronically absent

child’s home to fix what is believed to be a “home issue.” In fact, it is the interaction between the

factors of the individual student, family, school and community that all must be addressed

(Barth, 1984; Cimmarusti, James, Simpson & Wright, 1984; Epstein & Sheldon, 2002).

For the individual student, disengagement from school and subsequent nonattendance can

be the result of feelings of alienation from the school community, behavior problems, poor social

skills, frequent transfers, high mobility and low academic performance (Lehr et al., 2004). On a

family systems level, nonattendance can result from enmeshment between the child and parent,

low parent involvement in the school, and poor childrearing practices. For some families, the

cost of sending the child to school can be greater than keeping the child at home. The burden of

school supplies or the loss of the child’s role as companion to parent or caregiver to a younger

sibling can be too great to justify sending the child to school.

On a school level, the climate of the school can have a substantial impact on the student’s

motivation to come to school. When attending school is more rewarding than not attending and

children find familiarity and joy in coming to school, attendance improves (Barth, 1984). A

teacher who praises students for their attendance efforts and consistently connects children’s

learning to future endeavors will likely see positive attendance behaviors. Polychronis (2005)

found in his action research that, “… individual classroom climates and teacher practices…vary


greatly and interact with other factors (such as family circumstances) to influence PSCA [Percent

of Students Chronically Absent]” (p. 17).

Because the factors that influence student attendance are a reciprocal interaction between

the student, family, school and community, the response to absenteeism should be multi-faceted

and involve all of these players. The research available offers many ideas for improving

attendance. School intervention strategies can be conceptualized as including four main features:

1) offering opportunities for achievement in school tasks, 2) providing a nurturing, positive and

helpful atmosphere, 3) connecting the importance of learning with future success, and 4)

assisting students and families with personal issues (Lehr et al., 2004). A research study by Lehr

et al. that incorporated all four of these intervention components in several elementary schools

found that absences of previously chronic nonattenders dropped to at or below 5%.

Providing opportunities for school success can be achieved by offering tutoring

programs, homework clubs, and extended day schooling. In addition to offering these programs,

the facilitation of student and parent access to these programs is crucial (Lehr et al., 2004).

Within the classroom, teachers need to foster an environment that promotes an internal locus of

control, positive self-esteem, and personal accountability (McMillan & Reed, 1994).

A positive and encouraging school climate can be accomplished through positive

classroom discipline strategies, teamwork and collaboration among teachers, and by fostering an

atmosphere in which all staff are responsible for all students (Barth, 1984). Mentoring programs

and peer monitoring can also create a sense of connectedness for otherwise disengaged students.

In one study, a “triangle method” was used in which two regularly attending peers were paired

with a frequently absent student and formed a “team” which earned points and rewards for daily


attendance (Barth). Attendance rates of the chronically absent students improved through the

praise and encouragement of their peer teams.

Connecting the importance of learning with school success, the third main intervention

component, is accomplished by consistently tying learning tasks to their future implications. For

the elementary student, this can be an abstract concept. Students can be made aware of the

importance of attendance through more extrinsic measures in these early years. School-wide

attendance goal setting that displays graphs, posters and monthly feedback for students and

parents can increase the level of awareness and motivation around attendance (Ed. Digest, 2002).

Special daily jobs can be given to chronic non-attenders to increase their motivation to come to

school. School clubs such as “Future Teachers” or “Future Scientists” can be formed that

encourage goal-setting and career-oriented thinking (McMillan & Reed, 1994). One high school

implemented the “No Credit Status Plan” to alert students to the importance of school attendance

(Hoachlander et al, 2001). If students missed five or more days in a semester, they could not earn

course credit unless they participated in the schools’ “extra-help” program (a program of

tutorials or independent study options). Attendance rates were raised 1% in a year and reduced

absences by 9.26 days per student, a substantial improvement.

Parent involvement is also a key element in communicating the importance of learning.

Fostering partnerships with parents has been proven to raise student achievement and attendance

rates, as well as increase enrollments in secondary education. In a study by Volkman (1996),

parent participation in a classroom lesson was encouraged on a specific day each month. As a

result, both parent attitudes toward the school and school attendance increased. Parents also need

to be contacted when frequent absences are noted. A study by Sheats and Dunkleberger (2001)


demonstrated that contacting the parents of chronically absent students reduced absenteeism by

30%.

The fourth intervention component, assisting parents and students with personal issues,

requires individualized and focused attention on the particular student (Lehr et al., 2004).

Attendance social workers can monitor absences and visit homes. Schools can offer services that

meet the basic needs of families, such as bagged grocery pick-ups each month, clothing closets,

free school supplies, and on-site community social workers. Counselors can provide small group

or individual goal setting and social-skill building for frequently absent students. A study by

Baker and Jansen (2000) found that using counseling groups to reduce elementary school

absenteeism lowered absentee rates from an average of 9.4 days missed pre-test to 2.7 days

missed post-test.

The literature demonstrates, through a variety of researched strategies, that intentional

efforts by families and schools can significantly increase positive attendance behaviors. Families,

schools, and communities need to work collaboratively in order to foment a significant impact on

attendance.

Description of Intervention

A portion of this research attempts to gain student and teacher feedback about some

interventions that the Birch attendance team put into place during the fall of the 2005-2006

school year. In hopes to increase awareness about daily school attendance and entice students to

come to school more often, the team started rewarding classes for monthly attendance that was

96% and above. At our monthly school assemblies, the counselor announced the classrooms with

these attendance percentages, did a “pep-talk” about attendance, and then drew one classroom’s

name out of a hat. The winning class was awarded with ice cream and a read-aloud by the


principal. The team also identified those children with perfect attendance for the month and

awarded them with “perfect attendance” ribbons. These students were asked to stand at the

assemblies and were applauded. Interventions were also implemented in the classrooms. In the

fall, teachers were asked to do two things: First, call parents to express concern after their student

missed three or more days in a two week period and second, begin a classroom attendance

incentive program. Some ideas were suggested about how an incentive program could be done

and some teachers shared their ideas from years past.

This research not only assessed the impact of these particular interventions, it also

attempted to gain additional information about the factors that affect school attendance. The team

knew that attendance incentives alone would have little impact on attendance rates. We were

curious to discover student and teacher perceptions about other variables that influenced

attendance.

Data Collection

My data collection consisted of three methods. I collected statistical attendance data from

our student record archives. I interviewed students in small groups by grade levels. I also

surveyed teachers using a structured questionnaire.

Archival data

I accessed student record data from our ESIS data system. On April 25, 2005, the

attendance secretary helped me print out the attendance data for each student. We calculated the

average daily attendance percentage for each student by dividing the total days the student was

present by the number of days the student could have attended (“membership days”). Once I

calculated the daily attendance percentage for each student, I sorted the student data sheets by

ethnicity. I noticed that students were classified as “White” even if they were of Eastern


European ethnicity. With the help of the attendance secretary’s knowledge of these students and

by using last names as identifiers, I sorted out the Eastern European students from the Caucasian

students and formed a separate group. I then calculated the mean attendance percentage rate for

each of these groups (see Appendix A, Table 1-A and Appendix B, Figure B-1). I sorted the data

sheets again, this time by grade level and again calculated mean attendance percentage rates for

each group (See Appendix A, Table A-2 and Appendix B, Figure B-2). Finally, I used the ESIS

system to print out data for students who have missed 16 or more days of school. The ESIS

system refers to this population as “Students with Problem Attendance.” I disaggregated this data

by grade level (see Appendix C).

Student Interviews

The largest part of my data collection involved interviewing small “focus groups” made

up of students at each grade level. I interviewed five students at a time from the same grade

level. My total population interviewed was 25 students. I initially intended to interview

kindergarteners, but I noticed from my first grade interview that the interview was fairly long

and required about a half hour of focused attention. I decided that this would be hard on

kindergarteners and myself, the researcher! I asked the same 13 questions in each interview,

which included some open-ended and closed-ended questions (see Appendix D). I asked students

about their feelings toward their school, their perceptions about school attendance, their opinions

about the attendance rewards, their thoughts on why students miss school, and their ideas for

increasing school attendance.

Staff Surveys

Initially, I had not intended to seek feedback from teachers, but I decided that since our

team had asked teachers to try some interventions within their classrooms, it would be important


to gain feedback on whether or not these interventions were occurring and whether teachers

perceived them as effective. Some of my questions involved Likert scale responses and most

were open-ended (See Appendix F). Teachers were also asked to give input about how the

attendance team and the school as a whole could enhance attendance.

Data Considerations

The Human Subjects Research Committee at Portland State University approved my

research. Therefore, I was confident that my research did not jeopardize the participants’ well

being or rights to confidentiality. There are some issues of validity and reliability to consider

around my data collection techniques. I should caution the reader that the ethnic groups analyzed

(see Appendix A, Table A-1) might be somewhat smaller or larger than I calculated, especially

among the Eastern European and Caucasian groups. I am aware that separating Caucasian groups

and Eastern European groups by using last name and input from the school secretary are not

statistically valid techniques. However, ESIS did not classify these groups other than “White”

and I wanted to assess the attendance rates of our distinct ethnic groups. Therefore, these groups’

data should be analyzed with the understanding that these group sizes may not be accurate.

However, I do not believe that the size of the groups would be larger or smaller by more than

five students. The reader should also note that some of the ethnic groups, like Asian and Black

are considerably smaller populations, meaning that the attendance rates of these groups are more

susceptible to, and therefore could be skewed by, extreme scores.

The student interviews should also not be perceived as valid and reliable measures of the

student population as a whole because my sample population was so small. However, because

this research is intended to inform our school attendance policies and practice, I feel that student

feedback, however small the population, is very valuable.


The teacher surveys have fewer issues with validity and reliability. I collected 25 of 27

possible surveys handed out, which is a good return. The Likert scale responses allowed me to

calculate the average response levels of the group as a whole. I noticed on the surveys that there

were some different interpretations of the meaning of my questions, which could affect the

validity of some of the responses.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Archival Data

The ESIS attendance data revealed some interesting findings. Of the ethnic groups

analyzed (see Appendix B, Figure B-1), Hispanic students had the second highest attendance

rates at 92.8. I had hypothesized that Hispanics would have one of the lowest attendance rates

among the ethnic groups because it is the perception of our team that we most frequently work

with chronic nonattenders of this group. However, this could be a misperception because

Hispanics are the largest population in our school, so we more frequently deal with these

students. Asians had the highest attendance rates, which correlates with the Asian cultural value

of education and hard work. Blacks had the lowest attendance rates, 2.4 percentage points below

Hispanics, a significantly lower percentage. It should be noted that Blacks have a significantly

smaller population than Hispanics; therefore, the average attendance rate of the Black population

is more susceptible to extreme scores. Of 133 membership days at this point in the school year,

Blacks had missed an average of 13 days, Hispanics had missed an average of 10 school days,

and Asians had missed an average of six school days. Because Blacks are a fairly small

population in our school and have the lowest attendance rate, I wonder if they feel more

alienated from the school community, which impacts their desire to come to school. This implies

some need for action on the part of the school, which I will outline later in this paper.


Analyzing the attendance rates by grade level also displayed some interesting results (See

Appendix B, Figure B-2). It is not a surprise to the team that kindergarten has the lowest rates of

attendance (90.1%). This population is not required by state law to attend school. It is also our

experience that many parents of kindergarteners are less inclined to send their children to school

regularly because parents are used to having them at home. It can also be surmised that this

population is ill more often because their younger immune systems. First grade attendance is also

fairly low at 91.5%. It is interesting to note that fourth grade has the highest attendance rate. This

grade level is, by state testing results and anecdotal accounts of teachers, the highest performing

grade level currently at Birch Elementary. These statistics support the research findings that

academic performance and attendance rates are correlated.

Appendix C displays a graph of the student population (a total of 87 students) who had

missed 16 or more days of school at the time that I collected the data. I grouped this population

by grade level and found that kindergarten and first grade made up 50% of this population,

another indication that these grade levels need more targeted intervention.

Student Interviews

The most rewarding part of interviewing the students was witnessing how proud and

important they felt in the process. It revealed to me how valuable it is to ask students their

opinions about their school experiences rather than assume what they think. They had a lot to

share with me and took the interviews seriously. Since I spent that time with them, many have

approached me and told me how much they enjoyed sharing their thoughts.

The student interviews revealed some themes (see Appendix D for a summary grid of

responses). Students responded that they like Birch Elementary for the social relationships and

social activities (playground, friends, soccer, relationships with staff, and assemblies). They also


responded (with less frequency) that they come for learning opportunities. Of the learning

subjects, they enjoy reading and math. Similarly, when students miss school they are sad about

missing their friends, their teachers, special activities like field trips, and they dislike being

behind on work. Students interpreted my question differently when I asked “What motivates you

to get up in the morning?” Some answered about extrinsic motivators (mom and siblings or

alarm clock wakes them up) and some answered about intrinsic motivators (“I think of saying

‘hello’ to my teacher”, seeing friends). Only one student mentioned being motivated by the

attendance award. Another student mentioned that coming to school helps her get away from her

home. Special activities like field trips were big incentives to come to school.

When I assessed student perceptions about the importance of attendance, all students

answered that it is important to come to school. The younger students responded that it is

important because it will make your parents proud, it’s fun, and you learn. The older grades (3-5)

talked a lot more about the correlation with education and future achievement, such as attending

college or getting a good job. One fifth grade student made the point that if you didn’t go to

school you’d have to work at McDonald’s instead of an office. A fourth grader stated that going

to school helps you with future job skills like dependability. Another student pointed out that at

Birch you could learn both Spanish and English.

When asked what their teacher thinks about school attendance, all students responded

that their teachers have expressed that it is important. Many students mentioned their classroom

incentives. Most groups mentioned that their teacher feels happy and praises them when they

come to school. A fourth grader expressed that when the teacher says, “We missed you” it helps

him feel important. Another student in fifth grade believes that her teacher makes more money if

more students in her class come to school!


When asked about family perceptions about attendance, all groups responded that

education and attending school are valued in their families. Most responses revealed that their

families perceive education as a means to a better life than the one their children currently have.

One child was motivated by her brother, who wants her to make better choices and do better in

school than he did. Others were encouraged to go to school so that when they are adults they can

provide for their parents. Another fifth grader responded that an education can give you freedom

with choices in your life. However, some students had circumstances that prevented them from

coming to school every day, such as vacations, taking care of siblings, etc. These family

obligations give them contradictory messages about the importance of school.

Several of my questions focused on the school incentive programs and ideas for

improving attendance. When asked for their opinions about the attendance awards, most of the

students felt that the awards were hard to achieve. The most frequent response was that the

classroom awards were unfair because few classes actually make a high enough percentage to get

into the drawing. Another student pointed out that if a couple of kids in a classroom do not come

much, it’s hard to win. One student felt that the reward might be more motivating if more

classrooms won and suggested lowering the attendance percentage required to include more

classrooms in the drawing. I asked students whether the attendance awards at the assemblies

have helped them come to school more often. Students said they raised awareness but had no real

effect. The students liked the idea of rewards and suggested rewards for improved attendance

and school-wide attendance awards with fun day motivators like field day, pajama day, etc. The

younger students liked the idea of tangible rewards, while older students were more motivated by

social activities.


When asked for their ideas for improving school attendance, fourth and fifth graders in

particular wanted more hands-on learning activities, art projects, field trips, etc, to make learning

fun and engaging. They said they would come more often if they had these events to look

forward to. I find this sadly ironic in this era of repeated testing and more paper/pencil task work

than ever before. Kids also said they are more likely to skip school on testing days. So, while the

state is expecting a certain percentage of attendance from our school, repeated testing of students

may have a direct negative effect on our school attendance. Students are pleading for more fun,

engaging and stimulating learning experiences that employ all modalities of learning. One

student suggested that teachers tell students about the fun activities they will engage in the next

day as they are excused to go home.

Teacher Surveys

The teacher surveys also revealed helpful data for the attendance team (see Appendix F

for survey questions). Of the 25 teachers surveyed, 21 responded that they had implemented

classroom attendance incentives. The four teachers who did not implement incentives were from

the primary grades. They commented that incentives are either too overwhelming to implement

or have no measurable effect on a population whose attendance is mostly determined by the

parents’ actions. All teachers who used an incentive in their class utilized some version of the

“spell a word” game. Each day all students were present, the teacher put a letter on the

whiteboard. When the chosen word was spelled, the class would receive some kind of class

reward such as a class party, game or free choice time. The teachers’ response to the Likert scale

question: “Did classroom incentives help improve attendance rates?” resulted in a mean score of

2.4, which is interpreted to signify “very little improvement.” Teachers said that chronic non-

attenders made the achievement of a class reward very difficult. One teacher mentioned that his


classroom only had 14 perfect attendance days up to that point in the school year. Many teachers,

particularly in primary grades, felt that school attendance was more of an issue of parent follow-

through than a child’s choice. Fifth grade teachers felt that there was little student interest in the

classroom reward.

When asked whether the classroom awards helped raise student awareness about the

importance of coming to school, teachers answered more positively, with a mean Likert scale

score of 3.5 (some increased awareness). Some teachers said that they heard students

encouraging each other. Others felt they had witnessed a change in students’ attitudes about

attending school.

I surveyed teachers about their perceptions of the school wide incentives that the team

implemented this year. Teachers responded with a mean score of 2.8 to the question, “Did

school-wide attendance awards during assemblies help raise awareness about attendance?” I

interpret this score to mean that there was little to some awareness raised among students. The

teachers’ descriptive feedback was informative. The teachers responded that kids like to be

rewarded but the delayed reinforcement and rare achievement of the award means that there is

little daily awareness about attendance as a result of this implemented incentive. Teachers saw

some change in attendance behaviors. They observed students noticing who was present or

absent and saw them encouraging friends to come to school.

Because our team required teachers to call parents before making an attendance referral, I

asked teachers about this practice. Of the 25 teachers surveyed, 19 responded that they

consistently called parents to express their concerns when they noticed a pattern of

nonattendance. Two teachers sometimes called parents. These teachers mentioned that it was

sometimes hard to remember who had been gone. Others had difficulty with the language


barriers. Some who responded that they did not call asked the attendance secretary to call.

Several teachers noted that students with the most chronic attendance problems often had no

phone. When asked how parents generally responded to the teacher phone calls, most teachers

said that parents were receptive and that the conversation was positive. In some cases parents

were defensive or angry. Several teachers stated that calling parents was the most effective

method they had witnessed to improve student attendance. Teachers noted that often the families

needed help problem-solving some circumstances that were creating barriers to daily attendance.

My final question asked teachers for their ideas about strategies the attendance team

could try to improve attendance rates. Some suggested working to meet basic needs such as

providing public transportation information. Another teacher suggested a daily secretary call to

parents of children with unexcused absences. Several teachers suggested home visits and

connecting parents to parenting classes. Regarding tangible incentives, teachers suggested more

frequent attendance recognition, such as weekly drawings for classes with perfect attendance.

Another teacher suggested praising the classes with perfect attendance with daily intercom

announcements. Teachers felt that more frequent recognition would lead to more motivation. It is

interesting to note that both teachers and children suggest more frequent and attainable

recognition for positive attendance behaviors.

The teacher surveys demonstrate that they are following through with calling parents

when attendance becomes a concern. They also reveal that, although school-wide incentives are

a good idea and do help increase awareness about attendance, the incentives we currently have in

place are not effectively reinforcing the behavior.


Recommendations for Action

Birch Elementary School already has many structures in place that create a connectedness

to the school and promote school attendance. The SUN school program offers an extended

school day to students, complete with a homework club, art activities, sports, and experiential

learning activities. All Birch kindergarteners attend a full day of school. Our lunchtime soccer

program motivates athletic-minded students to come to school to play in competitive intramural

games. The students interviewed said that they enjoy coming to school, feel connected to their

teachers and friends, and have an internalized understanding of the importance of attendance.

Individual students who have chronic attendance problems are staffed by the attendance

team, who problem-solve with the family, provide home visits and draw up individual student

attendance contracts with incentives. Families are assisted with basic needs through our on-site

clothing closet and monthly bagged grocery pick-ups. Two of the school secretaries speak both

English and Spanish and one serves as a part-time family liaison worker. She helps connect

families with social services resources such as housing, the employment department, and rent or

utility assistance. The SUN program also provides us with a part-time social worker who links

parents to parenting classes, nutrition programs, and ELL classes. Birch Elementary has a good

foundation of student and family supports. Teacher surveys revealed that most teachers are

making phone calls to families to express their concerns about frequently absent students.

The analysis of demographic data, student interviews and teacher surveys revealed some

additional measures that Birch can implement to increase attendance. They also denote some

changes that should be made to current practices. I will categorize these proposed plans for

action under the four intervention components that were introduced earlier in the literature

review: 1) offering opportunities for achievement in school tasks, 2) providing a nurturing and


positive school atmosphere, 3) connecting student learning with future success, and 4) assisting

families with personal issues.

Offering Opportunities for Achievement

The student interviews revealed that children want more hands-on, experiential learning

activities. They want tasks that employ many learning modalities, such as art, science and math.

Repeated paper/pencil testing depresses our attendance rates because children are more likely to

skip or feign illness on these days. I suggest combining testing days with an art project or fun

activity that motivates children to attend. I also suggest that staff increase their field trips and

work to make learning as interactive as possible. I liked the students’ suggestion that teachers

inform kids of the fun activities they will be doing the following day so that they are encouraged

to come to school.

Providing a Nurturing, Positive and Helpful Atmosphere

Birch Elementary will be kicking off the PBS (Positive Behavior Supports) program in

the 2006-2007 school year. This program’s objective is to systematically teach and consistently

reinforce school wide expected behaviors. The program promotes the idea that all staff are

responsible for all students. PBS will increase the sense of safety in school and will further build

relationships among students and staff. Another structure that I believe would enhance the

nurturing and helpful atmosphere within the school would be a mentoring program. Students

who exhibit feelings of alienation or disconnectedness from school could be paired with an adult

mentor from the community. An analysis of the attendance statistics shows that members of the

Black student population and kindergarten students could be targeted for mentorships, as well as

any chronically absent student who exhibits signs of school aversion.


Connect Learning with Future Success

Connecting learning with future success is an area in which Birch Elementary could

substantially increase its supports. The student interviews and teacher surveys revealed that the

extrinsic rewards for attendance were positive but had little reinforcing effect. I recommend that

the team take a closer look at these reward programs and consider the suggestions of teachers

and students, such as making daily announcements about classrooms with perfect attendance or

offering a school-wide “fun day” when students meet an attendance objective. A bulletin board

display could show how close students are to meeting the goal. The opinions are clear that more

students need to be rewarded on a more frequent basis. The PBS program can make this one of

their objectives as they begin the school year next fall.

Parent participation is another key area that needs to be increased. Teachers made the

point in their surveys that many of the chronic attendance problems are due to poor parenting

choices. As opposed to parenting classes that tend to lose participation with each consecutive

class, I recommend offering parent nights that educate parents about certain aspects of their

children’s education. One parent night could specifically address student attendance and how to

problem-solve limitations to daily school attendance. Parents could be made aware of their

children’s attendance goals by also being rewarded for improved attendance. Classroom rewards

could include certificates sent home to the family in recognition for their hard work. A parent

and student who work together to improve a chronic attendance problem could be rewarded with

a useful prize, such as bus passes or a grocery gift card.

Another recommendation to connect learning with future success is to work with staff to

create special “jobs” for students who are chronically absent. Students made it clear in their


interviews that they are motivated to come to school when they feel included and special in the

eyes of their peers and teachers.

Assist Families with Personal Issues

Birch Elementary already does much to help families with their individual needs. One

recommendation which would be time consuming but extremely effective would be for the

attendance secretary to make daily calls to parents of students with unexcused absences. These

calls would reveal the reasons for the absence and would help the team to more quickly target the

families that have special issues and needs. The calls would also communicate to the parents that

Birch cares about their child.

This action research demonstrates that Birch Elementary has a solid foundation of

support upon which modifications and improvements can be made. Students report that they like

coming to school and understand the connection between learning and future success. Teachers

are implementing the measures that the attendance team recommended at the beginning of the

year. Adding additional supports (such as parent education nights, mentorship programs, and

more engaging learning experiences) as well as making modifications to current incentive

programs should prove to increase school attendance rates.


References

Baker, D. & Jansen, J. (2000). Using groups to reduce elementary school absenteeism. Social Work in Education, 22 (1), 46-54. Retrieved January 21, 2006 from the Professional Development Database Collection.

Baker, M. L., Sigmon, J. N., & Nugent, M. E. (2001). Truancy reduction: Keeping

students in school. OJJDP Bulletin. Washington, DC; Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency.

Barrington, B., & Hendricks, B. (2001). Differentiating characteristics of high school graduates, dropouts and nongraduates. Wasau, WI: University of Wisconsin Center at Wausau, Alexander Foundation and University Grants Committee. Retrieved November 2, 2005 from the Professional Development Database.

Barth, R. P. (1984). Reducing nonattendance in elementary schools. Social Work in Education, 6 (3), 151-166. Cimmarusti, R. A., James, M. C., Simpson, D. W., & Wright, C. E. (1984) Treating the context of truancy. Social Work in Education, 6 (3), 201-213.

Epstein, J. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2002). Present and accounted for: Improving student attendance through family and community involvement. Journal of Educational Research, 95 (5), 308-322. Retrieved November 2, 2005, from the Professional Development Collection Database.

Hoachlander, G., Dykman, A., & Godowsky, S. (2001, February 16). Attending to attendance: Students can’t achieve if they don’t come to school. Education Week, 20 (36), 40-43. Retrieved October 19, 2005 from the Professional Development Collection Database.

Lehr, C. A., Sinclair, M. F., & Christenson, S. L. (2004). Addressing student engagement And truancy prevention during the elementary school years: A replication study Of the check and connect model. Journal of Education for Students Placed at

Risk, 9 (3), 279-301. Retrieved January 21, 2006 from the Professional Development Collection Database.

McMillan, J. H. & Reed, D. F. (1994, Jan/Feb). At-risk students and resiliency: Factors Contributing to academic success. Clearing House, 67 (3), 137-140. Retrieved January 21, 2006 from the Professional Development Collection Database. Polychronis, T. K. (2005). A Program Evaluation of Attendance Policy and Procedure

At a Low-Income Elementary School with High Absentee Rates. Retrieved October 19, 2005 from Portland State University, Counselor of Education, School Counseling Specialization, School Counseling in Action, Intern Projects 2006. Web site: http://www.ed/pdx.edu/coun/sca.htm


Raising School Attendance. (2002, February). Educational Digest, 67 (6), 54-56. Retrieved October 20, 2005 from the Professional Development Database Collection. Sheats, D. & Dunkeleberger, G. E. (2001) A determination of the principal’s effect in school-initiated home contacts concerning attendance of elementary students. The Journal of Educational Research, 72 (6), 310-312. Volkman, B. (1996). You can’t educate an empty chair: Increasing student Attendance through parent involvement in regular classroom lessons. (Report No. CG028242). Washington, DC; U.S. Department of Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No ED 415466). Retrieved January 21, 2006 from the ERIC Database.


Appendix A Table A-1: Daily Attendance Rates by Ethnicity Ethnic Group N % of Total

Population % Average Daily Attendance

Hispanic 324 62% 92.8 Caucasian 93 18% 92.0 E. European 57 11% 91.7 Black 30 5% 90.4 Asian 18 3% 95.6 Unspecified 3 0.6% N/A Total 525 99.6% 92.5 Table A-2: Daily Attendance Rates by Grade Level Grade Level N % Average Daily

Attendance Kindergarten 93 90.1 First 83 91.5 Second 99 93.6 Third 78 92.9 Fourth 89 94.2 Fifth 80 93.5 Total 525 92.6 Attendance data was collected on April 25, 2006. Total membership days possible was 133 at this point in the school year.


Appendix B Figure B-1

92.8

92 91.7

90.4

95.6

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

Percentage of Average Daily

Attendance

Hispanic Caucasian E. European Black Asian

Ethnic Group

Percentage of Average Daily Attendance by Ethnic Group

Figure B-2

90.1

91.5

93.6

92.9

94.2

93.5

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

Percentage of Average Daily

Attendance

Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth

Grade

Average Daily Attendance by Grade Level


Appendix C

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Percentage of Population

Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth FifthGrade Level

Population of Students with Attendance Problems Disaggregated by Grade Level


Appendix D

Student Interview Questions for Focus Group Interviews

1. What do you like about Birch school?

2. What motivates you to come to school in the morning?

3. What do you look forward to at school?

4. If you have to miss school, what are you sad about missing?

5. Do you think it’s important to come to school? Why or why not?

6. This year we’ve added classroom attendance awards with the drawing from the “magic hat” at the Lifeskills assemblies. How do you feel about the classroom rewards? Do you think this has helped you or your friends try to come to school more?

7. Do you ever hear kids reminding each other to come to school?

8. What does your teacher think about students coming to school?

9. What does your family think is important about coming to school?

10. What do you think our school could do to help kids come to school more often?

11. What reasons do you think keep kids from coming to school?

12. Are there specific activities that motivate you to come to school (like school soccer teams, SUN school, Friday Fun, etc)?


Appendix E Student Interview Summary Grid Question asked

First Second Third Fourth Fifth

What do you like about Birch?

Playground Friends Swings Fun outside Seeing the counselor

Recess Playing with friends Tag Learn lots of stuff, math Soccer because you can practice, good teams

Outside Soccer Read Learning Seeing everybody at school-office, teachers, friends, counselor

Leadership group Recess Trying new things Learning Teachers listen

My teacher, she’s nice. Art activities. Friends Math Soccer

What makes you get up in the morning?

Parents Dad gets me up to read the bible

Thinking of saying “hello” to the teacher Good sleep G’pa pulls the covers off Meeting my friends

Special days Field trips Alarm Mom/Dad Sister kicks meBrother says my bus left already

Alarm clock Sister wakes me Knowing if I come to school I’ll get to see my friends and get the perfect attendance award

Mom makes me. Get used to it. Come because I need to. 3 of 5 would come if free choice. Goals-get straight A’s

What do you look forward to at school?

Free lunch Fluoride Sitting at your table Learning-farm unit, homework, Playing with my friends at centers

Friends Games Field trips

Friends Fun activities

Art projects Soccer program Assemblies

Art makes day go faster

What are you sad about missing?

The fun stuff Getting your picture taken Class and friends Recess

Field trips Friends Assemblies

Fun stuff that other kids do School experience and getting away from my house Friends Field trips

Learning Friends talk to us about cool experiences Behind on work Feel behind

Friends Teacher Nothing Art Fun stuff


Appendix E: Student Interview Summary Grid Question First Second Third Fourth Fifth Do you think it’s important to come to school?

Yes (you have to learn homework to turn in and be smart, and then you learn a lot and can tell dad and mom) Use lifeskills and win awards

Yes, get to do lots of fun stuff Go to college and then a job Miss out on friends Learn math and other things

Yes We need to learn otherwise we’ll grow up to be “burros” Need school because it’s good for our body (P.E.) Scholarships for college, which costs over $100 Diploma=more jobs=more money (lots of discussion r.e. jobs)

Yes Grades affect future jobs, helps with skill in being dependable Have to restart projects if you don’t come Home is boring Helps you learn basic skills Reading in Spanish and English! Help younger siblings

Yes because we learn Get smarter, good education, good job. If you didn’t go, you wouldn’t get hired, couldn’t go to an office. Would work at McDonalds instead.

How do you feel about the attendance rewards?

Like them Not fair because we never get them. Principal brings ice cream!

Sad because we never get picked. Amazing if we got picked It’d be really cool I’d feel excited

We’re never gonna get it. A lot of people missing. Mad Happy-it’s a good idea Make an award for the 3 school rules We never win it.

If a couple kids don’t come much, it’s hard to win. Once we get picked it might motivate Disappointing

Not fair, a lot of us do come to school but our class isn’t recognized Lower the % Make it more fun, have more fun stuff in school.

Have the awards helped you and your friends come to school ?

Sort of… A little bit. Not much Help each other come to school

Yes Yes, you might get student of the month. Rewards aren’t main motivation

Sometimes Fridays are the best bc Friday Fun and P.E.


Appendix E: Student Interview Summary Grid Question First Second Third Fourth Fifth

Do you hear kids reminding each other to come to school?

Yes, some Yes! I say, “You should come to school tomorrow.” When F was sick, I asked her to come to school.

I’ve reminded before. Don’t hear it much In my apts I hear “Go to school!”

Mom motivates My friend once told me Only when special things are happening

Yes, we’ve reminded other kids.

What does your teacher think about students coming to school?

Teacher says to come every day It’s good Nice Sometimes she praises us

Kids will get an “awesome” or stars. She’s proud of us. We played the “word on the board” game. We get to choose what we want to do. It helped.

Feel happy when we come to school because we can learn, don’t have to be caught up. They want us to get better at things, practiceMy teacher feels happy because we’re near her.

When everyone comes, we get a new letter, but it’s a lot of work. Says we need to come to school. Teacher says, “We missed you”, feel important

Thinks it’s important, says it all the time. She makes more $ if more of us come to school.

What does your family think is important about coming to school?

Important or you’ll miss homework Be responsible Proud when I’m dressed/ready Want us to learn

I need to learn (all 5 students said this) Helps me be ready for 3rd grade, middle, high school Learn to get a scholarship

Brother wants me to do better than he did Mom says school is good for me Kids “job” Makes them happy and proud Want me to be smart and have good grades Want me to get a better job than them.

Mom tells me to learn English, I feel smart. To come to school to learn so that when they’re old we’ll help them. Bring experiences to family, we teach them.

Mom thinks it’s good bc of education/diploma. Come to school for good jobs later Get a good job, like a dentist Education, freedom with choices in life.


Appendix E: Student Interview Summary Grid Question First Second Third Fourth Fifth What do you think Birch can do to help kids come more often

Call our parents More rewards to help us Principal comes to get us in a big bus

Remind kids more often to come to school Give out prizes like pencils, most improved.

Tell kids the fun things they’ll do the next day Prizes and fundraisers More rewards School-wide awards Help parents learn English

Field trips, experiential learning. Hands-on stuff Reading buddies helps kids connect Friday fun Regular homework Talent shows (something to work toward) School plays

More sports offered at recess. More time at break time. Teachers should say “tomorrow come to school because we have a fun activity.” Pajama day, movie day, field day. Give us more choices.

What keeps kids home from school?

Sick, owies Don’t want to come to school Special visits from people Doctor appt

Cold outside, kids get sick. AppointmentsOversleep Too much ice cream Vacation Missed bus Don’t want to come

Skipping- they are lazy and don’t want to think or work Want to be with friends instead of school Some kids stay home to care for kids

Sick Appts Avoid tests (especially the boys) Some kids don’t like. Immigration march Some kids don’t come to learn new things, then are embarrassed that they don’t know things Take care of sibs Think “cool” is better than smart.

Sick Tests or speeches-fear of performing Getting suspended To avoid principal talk Appointments Kids stay at home to take care of kids (all of them had stayed home at least one day for this reason)


Appendix E: Student Interview Summary Grid What activities motivate you to come to school?

Playing games Drawing Homework Friends Playing soccer

Soccer SUN Exercise, playing Parties and field trips

Field trips SUN Field Day The end of school!

Field trips Hands-on learning Animal projects Clay pots Math is fun Science experiments Soccer

Soccer Friends SUN Friday Fun


Appendix F

Teacher Survey: Perceptions of Classroom Attendance and School Attendance Incentives

Name ________________________ Date ________ Grade Level _____ Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey! Your responses will be very helpful in implementing future attendance motivators and incentives at Birch school.

1. Have you implemented any kind of classroom attendance incentives this year? (If your answer is no, please skip to question #5)

2. Explain in some detail what you have tried.

3. Do you think the classroom incentive helped improve your classroom attendance rates? Please rate your answer on the scale below, then explain your answer in the space below.

(not at all) (very little) (some) (a good amount) (very much)

1 2 3 4 5

4. Do you think the classroom incentive raised student awareness about the importance of coming to school? Please rate your answer and then explain in the space below (now skip to question 6).

(not at all) (some) (very much)

1 2 3 4 5


Appendix F: Teacher Survey 5. If no, please explain why you chose not to implement a classroom attendance incentive.

6. In your opinion, did the perfect attendance awards and classroom attendance awards during the Likeskills assemblies helped to increase student awareness about the importance of coming to school? Please rate then explain below.

(not at all) (some) (very much)

1 2 3 4 5

7. What, if any, changes do you see in students’ attendance behaviors since the school-wide awards have been started (e.g. students encouraging classmates to come to school, etc.)?

8. When you notice a student has been absent three or more times in a two-week period, do you make an attempt to call the parent of the student to inquire about the absences? Explain why or why not.

9. If you call, how is your call generally received by the parent?

10. Are there other strategies you feel the attendance committee can try to increase school attendance rates?

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