Study finds nuanced approaches needed to combat Texas absenteeism rates
The type of policies and support needed to keep Texas children in the classroom is not one-size-fits-all, according to a new study by researchers at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health published recently in Research in Educational Policy and Management.
Led by Gabriela Gallegos, JD, MPP, associate professor of the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health, the study explored the association between different absenteeism policies and absenteeism rates among 9-12th grade students in the Texas-Mexico border. Researchers also examined how different combinations of these policies are associated with both total chronic absenteeism rates and absenteeism rates of students who are Emergent Bilingual/English Learners (EB/EL).
Texas districts are governed by state laws regarding mandatory attendance and truancy that are implemented at the district and school levels. Districts are required to identify a truancy prevention facilitator who is responsible for implementing truancy prevention measures.
The study found no significant association between chronic absenteeism and any one particular policy – rather, it was a combination of measures that had the most impact on chronic absenteeism. Districts without attendance incentives and with officers as their truancy prevention facilitators had 4% higher chronic absenteeism rates – the highest rates of the policy interactions measured.
Extensive research supports a direct association between education and health. According to the U.S. Department of Education, chronic absenteeism can have a profound impact on students well into adulthood, including diminished health outcomes. “Chronic student absenteeism correlates to lower educational attainment, and lower educational attainment can predict poor health later in life. It’s a growing problem that leads to cascade of later issues,” Gallegos said.
For EB/EL students, measuring policies against absenteeism rates yielded more complex results. The study found that when analyzing individual policies, there was a significant association between attendance incentives and EB/EL absenteeism rates. School districts offering attendance incentives saw 3% higher absence rates among these students than districts without attendance incentives.
However, as researchers measured the interaction effect between policies, they also found that for EB/EL students, school districts without attendance incentives that assigned support services staff as their truancy prevention facilitators had the highest predicted EB/EL absent rates.
The survey notes the importance of implementing policies tailored to community needs to mitigate disparities and the possible long-term consequences of chronic absenteeism. “If policies aren’t achieving their purpose, districts can change their approach to better serve their students, families, and communities,” Gallegos added.
The study analyzed four attendance and truancy policies in 88 Texas-Mexico border districts alongside chronic absenteeism rates using 2020-2021 Texas Education Agency Texas Academic Performance Reports demographic and attendance indicators for grades 9-12. Each school district’s policies were collected through a review of publicly available sources, including district websites, student handbooks, and codes of conduct.
Looking ahead, researchers believe further investigation will be helpful to examine how district policies impact students with different needs. “We need to better understand how state policies work in practice and consider other evidence-based strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism,” said Gallegos.
Additional authors include Jingjing Gao, PhD, Sharmily Roy, PhD(c) of UTHealth Houston; and Kylie Schaper, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine.