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COVID-19, Online Learning, and Absenteeism in Detroit

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Title: COVID-19, Online Learning, and Absenteeism in Detroit
Language: English
Authors: Sarah Winchell Lenhoff (ORCID 0000-0003-1025-8219), Jeremy Singer (ORCID 0000-0002-2666-2972)
Source: Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk. 2025 30(2):99-128.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 30
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Online Courses, Distance Education, Attendance, Well Being, Barriers, Access to Computers, Socioeconomic Status, Access to Internet, Technology Uses in Education, Low Income Students, Poverty, Learner Engagement, Mental Health, Student Employment
Geographic Terms: Michigan (Detroit)
DOI: 10.1080/10824669.2024.2304306
ISSN: 1082-4669
1532-7671
Abstract: How much school students attend is a powerful indicator of their well-being and a strong predictor of their future success in school. Prior research has documented the myriad in-school and out-of-school factors that contribute to high levels of student absenteeism, many emerging from the root causes of poverty and disengagement. The shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic likely disrupted prior barriers to attendance and may have created new ones. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study examined student absenteeism during the 2020-2021 school year in Detroit. We used administrative data to show whether and how attendance patterns changed, and we linked family survey and interview data to explain those patterns. We found that 70% of students were chronically absent, with 40% of parents reporting that computer problems contributed to absenteeism. While measures of socioeconomic disadvantage and computer/internet issues were associated with lower attendance and higher probability of chronic absenteeism, reported levels of hardship during the pandemic were not. Despite significant investment in technology, the district's strategies for engaging students were not sufficient in overcoming economic hardships and the new challenges of online learning.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1498217
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: COVID-19, Online Learning, and Absenteeism in Detroit
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Winchell+Lenhoff%22">Sarah Winchell Lenhoff</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1025-8219">0000-0003-1025-8219</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeremy+Singer%22">Jeremy Singer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2666-2972">0000-0002-2666-2972</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Education+for+Students+Placed+at+Risk%22"><i>Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk</i></searchLink>. 2025 30(2):99-128.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 30
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Distance+Education%22">Distance Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance%22">Attendance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Computers%22">Access to Computers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Status%22">Socioeconomic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Internet%22">Access to Internet</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Students%22">Low Income Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Poverty%22">Poverty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Employment%22">Student Employment</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan+%28Detroit%29%22">Michigan (Detroit)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/10824669.2024.2304306
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  Data: 1082-4669<br />1532-7671
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  Data: How much school students attend is a powerful indicator of their well-being and a strong predictor of their future success in school. Prior research has documented the myriad in-school and out-of-school factors that contribute to high levels of student absenteeism, many emerging from the root causes of poverty and disengagement. The shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic likely disrupted prior barriers to attendance and may have created new ones. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study examined student absenteeism during the 2020-2021 school year in Detroit. We used administrative data to show whether and how attendance patterns changed, and we linked family survey and interview data to explain those patterns. We found that 70% of students were chronically absent, with 40% of parents reporting that computer problems contributed to absenteeism. While measures of socioeconomic disadvantage and computer/internet issues were associated with lower attendance and higher probability of chronic absenteeism, reported levels of hardship during the pandemic were not. Despite significant investment in technology, the district's strategies for engaging students were not sufficient in overcoming economic hardships and the new challenges of online learning.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1080/10824669.2024.2304306
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 30
        StartPage: 99
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Online Courses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Distance Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Computers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Internet
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Poverty
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      – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement
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      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Employment
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      – SubjectFull: Michigan (Detroit)
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      – TitleFull: COVID-19, Online Learning, and Absenteeism in Detroit
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