Why are Students Absent and What Can We Do About It? - Amy Wiseman, Ph.D - E3 Alliance
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Why are Students Absent and
What Can We Do About It?
Amy Wiseman, Ph.D. Joshua Childs, Ph.D.
Director of Research Studies Assistant Professor of Education
E3 Alliance University of Texas, Austin
© 2017 E3 Alliance
E3 Alliance is a Catalyst For Educational Change
in Central Texas
Mission
E3 Alliance uses objective data and focused
community collaboration to align our education
systems so all students succeed and lead Central
Texas to economic prosperity
E3 Alliance serves as the
Central Texas regional P-16 Council
© 2017 E3 Alliance
2.4 Million
Student Absences in
Central Texas per Year
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at UT Education Research Center;
2010-2011 school year. © E3 Alliance, 2017
Absenteeism Generally Increases After 5th Grade
Average Number of Absences in Central Texas, By Grade, 2015-16
14
12 12.6
10
Average Days Absent
10.0
9.2 9.2
8
7.7
7.4
6 6.7 6.6
6.1 6.0
5.7 5.7 5.6
4
2
0
KG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Grade Level
© E3 Alliance, 2017 4
Source: E3 .
Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at the UT Austin Education Research Center
20% of Students Miss More Than 2 Weeks of School
Percent of K-12 Students by Number of Absences,
Central Texas, 2015-16
50%
Percentage of Students
46%
40%
30%
20% 25%
20%
10%
9%
0%
Zero 1 to 5 6 to 10 More than 10
Number of Absences
5
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at the UT Austin Education Research Center © 2017 E3 Alliance
More than 15% of High School Students
Chronically Absent
Percent of Students Chronically Absent*, By Grade,
Central Texas, 2015-16
Percent of Students Chronically Absent
30%
23%
20%
16%
15% 15%
10%
8% 9%
7%
6% 5% 6%
4% 4% 4%
0%
KG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
* Absent 10% or more of days enrolled for any reason
Grade Level
© E3 Alliance, 2017 6
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at the UT Austin Education Research Center
Students With More Than 10 Absences
Account for Nearly 70% of All High School Absences
Percentage of High School Absences,
Central Texas, 2015-16
12%
Missed 1-5 days
19% Missed 6-10 days
Missed more than 10 days
69%
7
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at the UT Austin Education Research Center © 2017 E3 Alliance
Low Income High School Students in Central
Texas Miss an Extra Day of School
Average Number of Absences in High School, 2015-16
15
12.9
Average Days Absent During School Year
11.9
10
8.2 8.0
5
0
Non-low Income Low Income
Central Texas Texas
8
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS data at the UT Austin Education Research Center © 2017 E3 Alliance
Tells Us Who, What, Where, When
But not WHY students are absent
© 2017 E3 Alliance
9
Absence Reasons Study
10
© 2017 E3 AllianceAbsence Reasons Study
First of its kind study in Texas (maybe US?)
Data to drive regional decision-making
How health and community systems interact with
student attendance and achievement
Hays & Pflugerville ISDs collected absence reasons
for 2 months
Attendance staff called parents and collected detailed
absence reasons
Representative of regional population
© 2017 E3 AllianceWhat Did We Find?
% of Absences by Absence Reason
Acute Illness 48%
Skipping 5% (751)
Chronic Illness 4% (707)
Family Emergency 4% (654)
Routine Dental Appt 3% (465)
Preventative Medical 2% (352)
Travel 2% (326)
Mental Health Issue 2% (254)
Suspension (not ISS) 1% (247)
Family Responsibility 1% (173)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of absence data
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13 © 2017 E3 AllianceMedical Absences More Variable
Than Non-Medical Absences Over Time
2000
Number of Students Absent
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
14-Jan 21-Jan 28-Jan 4-Feb 11-Feb 18-Feb 25-Feb 4-Mar
Study Week
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data
Medical Non-medical
© E3 Alliance, 2017
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13% of Absences Treated Varies by Absence Type
Proportion Health Absences by Whether Student Treated by
Medical Professional
Overall 59% 41%
Acute Illness 51% 49%
Chronic Illness 72% 28%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Proportion of Absences
Treated Not Treated
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data © E3 Alliance, 2017
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13Most of Skipping by At-Risk Students
Skipping Absences by Demographic Subgroup
100%
Percent of Skipping Absences
% of Students
80%
70%
61% 62%
60%
40%
23% 24%
20%
0%
Special English Males Low Income At Risk
Education Language
Learner
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data © E3 Alliance, 2017
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13
© 2013 E3Low Income Students Have More than Their Share of
Non-Medical Absences
% of Absences by Reason for Low Income Students
All Absences
% of Students who
Acute Illness are Low Income
Chronic Illness
Asthma
Mental Health
Dental Treatment
Student's Child Sick
Family Responsibility
Transportation Issue
Skipping
Court/Legal
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Percent of Absences from Low Income Students
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13 © 2017 E3 AllianceAt-Risk Students Have More than Their Share of
Absences for Many Reasons
% of Absences by Reason for At-Risk Students
All Absences
% of Students
Acute Illness
At-Risk
Chronic Illness
Asthma
Mental Health
Dental Treatment
Student's Child Sick
Family Responsibility
Transportation Issue
Skipping
Court/Legal
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Percent of Absences from At-Risk Students
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data © E3 Alliance, 2017
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13Chronically Absent Students Have Far More than
Their Share of Absences
% of Absences by Reason for Chronically Absent
All Absences % of Students
Acute Illness Chronically
Absent
Chronic Illness
Asthma
Mental Health
Dental Treatment
Student's Child Sick
Family Responsibility
Transportation Issue
Skipping
Court/Legal
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data
Percent of Absences from Chronically Absent Students
© E3 Alliance, 2017
from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD, 1/14/13-3/8/13Secondary ‘Flu’ Peak Matches Acute Illness Absences
Absences By Week August – March for 2012-13
% of Doctor visits for flu-like illness
350 18%
Average # Absences Per Day
300 16%
14%
250
12%
200 10%
150 8%
6%
100
4%
50 2%
0 0%
35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13
August Week of the Year Study Period
March
HCISD PISD HCISD Acute Illness PISD Acute Illness Dr visits flu-like illness
Source: E3 Alliance analysis of Absence data from 9 schools in PISD & HCISD August 2012 through March 2013
Influenza-Like Illness doctor visit data from Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services © 2017 E3 AllianceEvolution of Attendance Initiatives
Missing Absence Chronic
School Study & Flu Absence in
Matters Immunization Schools
Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement
© 2017 E3 Alliance 20is Working!
Student and Absence Counts, Central Texas
3.0 390
Number of Students (in Thousands)
$33M regional savings
Number of Absences (in Millions)
since campaign started! 360
2.5 330
300
2.0 270
240
210
1.5
180
150
1.0 120
90
0.5 60
30
- -
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Absences Students
© 2017 E3 Alliance
Source: E3 analysis of PEIMS data at UT Austin Education Research Center for 2002-2013; TEA ad hoc request for 2014-16Implications for Action on Improving Attendance
• Chronically absent students at any grade –
account for vast majority of absences
And are absent for many reasons
• For Low income students, and students at-risk of
dropping out, focus on non-medical reasons for
absence
• Acute illness absences track with illness outbreaks
School-based flu immunization reduced
absences during peak of flu season
22
© 2017 E3 AllianceWhat Can We Do About It?
Zones of a Student’s Daily Life
27
Name of Partnership or Community
How Might We…
Improve the school attendance
of chronically absence students
in the 9th and 10th grades?
28SUCCESS MENTORS INITIATIVE
MBK Success Mentor Communities
30Evidence from NYC
• Chronically Absent Students with a Success Mentor gained nearly two
additional weeks of school (9 days)
• High School students with Success Mentors were 52% more likely to
remain in school the following year
• Mentees reported they liked having a mentor and the mentor helped
improve their attendance, schoolwork, motivation, and confidence
http://www.attendanceworks.org/what-works/new-york-city/success-mentors/
MAYOR’S INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE
31Our Goal
is to reach
All Chronically Absent
6th & 9th Graders
32REACHING SCALE: How Do We Get Enough Mentors?
Internal Success External Success Peer-to-Peer College Success
Mentors Mentors Success Mentors
School partners including Upperclassmen
Mentors
School staff including coaches, After-School Providers, Tutors for 9th graders and Clinical study credit from
teachers, office staff, etc or Nearby Businesses 8th graders for 6th graders undergraduate, social work or
education schools
33How Might We…
Improve the school attendance of chronically absence students in the 9th
and 10th grades?
Intervention to Test:
School Success Mentor intervention:
pairing internal and external mentors
with targeted chronically absent
students
34Austin
Progress Towards Target
SMART Target(s):
Travis HS, 9th Grade: Improve 9th grade SSM student attendance by 3% by end of
February compared to end of previous year’s attendance rate.
Travis HS, 10th Grade: Improve 9th grade SSM student attendance by 3% by end of
February compared to end of previous year’s attendance rate.
35Austin ISD
Topic Reason Name Reasons Description and Usage
Dental Routine Dental Appointment Went to dentist for reason other than
pain/infection, such as cleaning,
checkup, or cavity
Dental Dental appointment to treat pain or Went to dentist because of pain or
infection infection
Military Join military Participating in activities necessary for
joining military
Military Military family visit Visiting with parents or guardian who
is on active duty in the armed forcesAustin ISD
Topic Reason Name Reasons Description and Usage
Unexcused School refusal/school avoidance Refused to go to school, often because of
anxiety about something at school; parent is
usually aware of absence (if anxiety is not
about school, code as mental health issue)
Unexcused Skipping Absent (and not on campus) for no particular
reason, parent is usually unaware of absence
Unexcused Truant Absent from class but on campus
(somewhere not allowed)
Unknown Unwilling to provide detailed reason For any AISD reason code triggering request
for further detail, where student/family did
not provide information needed for detailed
reason codeAustin ISD
Topic Reason Name Reasons Description and Usage
Family Family responsibility (such caring for siblings) Had family responsibility such as caring for
younger siblings or elderly family members
Family Funeral or family emergency Attended a funeral or had a family
emergency (do not need to know what family
emergency is)
Family Oversleeping/Family planning issue (not Student or parent overslept or other issue
transportation) where family not organized to get child to
school
Family Student’s child ill Illness of the student’s child where the student
has to provide careAustin ISD
Topic Reason Name Reasons Description and Treatment Follow Up
Usage
Medical Acute illness Usually contagious, short-lived, Is your child going to the doctor
one-time illnesses such as cold, for this? (Either has, already, or
flu, sinus infection, stomach flu, will go soon) If not, why not?
strep throat, mono, etc.
Medical Asthma Asthma or difficulty breathing Is your child going to the doctor
for this? (Either has, already, or
will go soon) If not, why not?
Medical Diabetes Diabetes or diabetes Is your child going to the doctor
complication (described as such for this? (Either has, already, or
by parent) will go soon) If not, why not?
Medical Chronic illness Any long term or regularly Is your child going to the doctor
recurring physical condition other for this? (Either has, already, or
than diabetes or asthma, such as will go soon) If not, why not?
allergies, cedar fever, recurrent
infections, autoimmune disease,
etc.5 KEY STEPS – Year 1 Implementation
Created a TARGET LIST of Chronically Absent 6th/9th graders
Campuses Selected Mentors from the following 3 buckets:
Internal Staff (administrators, teachers, coaches, security guards). Principal should lead
recruitment of internal staff.
External Partners (after-school, tutors, other partners)
Peers (11th/12th graders for 9th; 8th graders for 6th graders
Match Mentors and Students
HOST KICK-OFF Event
Access Scheduled Support
Mentor Training
Peer Mentor Training
40
40Austin
PDSA
Intervention/Project: Travis School Success Mentors
Test Population: SSM students in 9th and 10th grades
PLAN Attach reasons to individual absences to determine appropriate
interventions.
DO Create a run chart based on the data and look for patterns and trends
STUDY Results did not match our prediction.
ACT We will adopt and develop a plan for implementation.
Post-Secondary Enrollment Impact & Improvement Network – Learning Session 3 © 2016 - Design Impact
41What Made the MBK Success Mentor Model Powerful?
Clear Model with Evidence of Impact
Measurable Outcome (can tell rapidly if its working)
District and School Flexibility on How Model is Actualized
Not Another Initiative but an Enabler of Multiple School Improvement
Efforts
Cost Effective Can be Largely Driven Through New Application of Existing
Resources
Can be Continually Improved and Enhanced
Multiple stakeholders
42The conclusions of this research do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official position of the
Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or the State of Texas.
Amy Wiseman Joshua Childs
awiseman@e3alliance.org joshuachilds@austin.utexas.edu
Thank You!
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