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Exploring Implementation of Attendance Supports to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in the Providence Public School District. REL 2021-099

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Exploring Implementation of Attendance Supports to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in the Providence Public School District. REL 2021-099
Language: English
Authors: Lavigne, Heather, Caven, Meg, Bock, Georgia, Zhang, Xinxin, Braham, Emily, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) (ED/IES), Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands (ED/IES)
Source: Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands. 2021.
Availability: Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands. Available from: Institute of Education Sciences. 550 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20202. Tel: 202-245-6940; Web site: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2021
Contract Number: EDIES17C0008
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Attendance, Intervention, Public Schools, School Districts, Program Implementation, Fidelity, Program Effectiveness, Telecommunications, Mentors, Handheld Devices, Parent School Relationship, Elementary Secondary Education, English Language Learners, Parent Participation, Student Characteristics, Letters (Correspondence), Barriers
Geographic Terms: Rhode Island (Providence)
Abstract: In recent years Rhode Island's Providence Public School District (PPSD) has put initiatives in place to reduce high chronic absenteeism. This study explored attendance supports aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism that PPSD schools implemented in the 2018/19 school year. Although some schools had attendance supports in place before 2018/19, in 2018 the district added new requirements for schools to address chronic absenteeism. The study investigated what attendance supports were most commonly implemented with fidelity in 2018/19 by schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased between 2017/18 and 2018/19. Schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased implemented text messaging, phone calls, and mentorship programs with fidelity more frequently than schools in which chronic absenteeism increased. The study also looked more closely at one support in particular--text messaging to parents and guardians of students--to examine how implementation varied across schools. Some schools used a targeted approach for contacting parents and guardians of students who might be at risk for chronic absenteeism, translating content to reach parents and guardians in their preferred language; this could create opportunities to reach parents and guardians in ways that other attendance supports do not. Descriptive analyses showed that during the 2018/19 school year the use of attendance-related text messaging increased more quickly in schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased between 2017/18 and 2018/19 than in schools in which chronic absenteeism increased, where the use of attendance-related text messaging remained flat. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED614716. For the appendixes, see ED614717.]
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
IES Publication: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=5679
Entry Date: 2021
Accession Number: ED614715
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In recent years Rhode Island's Providence Public School District (PPSD) has put initiatives in place to reduce high chronic absenteeism. This study explored attendance supports aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism that PPSD schools implemented in the 2018/19 school year. Although some schools had attendance supports in place before 2018/19, in 2018 the district added new requirements for schools to address chronic absenteeism. The study investigated what attendance supports were most commonly implemented with fidelity in 2018/19 by schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased between 2017/18 and 2018/19. Schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased implemented text messaging, phone calls, and mentorship programs with fidelity more frequently than schools in which chronic absenteeism increased. The study also looked more closely at one support in particular--text messaging to parents and guardians of students--to examine how implementation varied across schools. Some schools used a targeted approach for contacting parents and guardians of students who might be at risk for chronic absenteeism, translating content to reach parents and guardians in their preferred language; this could create opportunities to reach parents and guardians in ways that other attendance supports do not. Descriptive analyses showed that during the 2018/19 school year the use of attendance-related text messaging increased more quickly in schools in which chronic absenteeism decreased between 2017/18 and 2018/19 than in schools in which chronic absenteeism increased, where the use of attendance-related text messaging remained flat. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED614716. For the appendixes, see ED614717.]