Progress of Education Reform: Chronic Early Absence PDF - This issue of The Progress of Education Reform looks at two recent research studies on the issue of chronic early absence and addresses the following: 1) What are the impacts of chronic early absence? 2) Why has it been overlooked? 3) What contributes to chronic early absence? and 4) What can be done to reduce chronic absence in the early grades? (Mimi Howard, Education Commission of the States, March 2010)...

How States Can Advance Achievement by Reducing Chronic Absence - Defining chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of school for any reason, authors of this brief recommend tracking attendance on state longitudinal databases and publicly sharing chronic absence data by district, school, grade, and subgroup. Families need to be alerted. District and school improvement plans need to include strategies for nurturing a culture of attendance and measures of chronic absenteeism need to be incorporated into school accountability systems. Early warning systems need to be developed. (Attendance Works, September 2013)...

Recommended Annual Taught Time in Full-Time Compulsory Education in Europe 2012/13 - Check out which European country requires the highest amount of taught time and how many hours students spend on specific core subjects. Facts and figures are updated annually. (Eurydice, 2013) ...

Staying in School: A Proposal to Raise High School Graduation Rates - This paper presents a plan to increase the high school graduation rate. A key element of the proposal is for all states to increase their minimum school-leaving age to eighteen. The proposal also calls for more resources for enforcement of compulsory-schooling laws. The authors assert that if states invest in effective support programs they can further increase graduation rates and reduce future costs of enforcing compulsory-schooling policies. (Hamilton Project, September 2012)...

Using Attendance Data to Inform Policy and Practice - In this webinar, the speakers showcased how chronic absenteeism data can be used to inform policy and practice and discussed steps policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels can take to support the improved collection and use of this information. The webinar included discussions about chronic absence and why it matters; efforts in Indiana, Oregon, and Oakland, CA, to analyze and use attendance data; and actions local, state, and federal officials can take to support the improved collection and use of this information. (Data Quality Campaign and Attendance Works, June 2012)...

The Importance of Being in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation's Public Schools - This report examines the issue of chronic absenteeism, defined as missing more than 10 percent of a year’s school days. As most states track average daily attendance, the authors contend, the instance of chronic absenteeism is understated. This exploratory study parses attendance data from six states and finds chronic absenteeism averaging 14% of students, which, if the rate holds nationally, equates to about seven million students. The authors urge policymakers considering extended school day and year policies to consider the issue of chronic absenteeism. (Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools, May 2012)...

Attendance in Early Elementary Grades: Associations with Student Characteristics, School Readiness, and Third Grade Outcomes - This report examines a sample of kindergarten students who participated in school readiness assessments in 19 school districts in California. The authors address the following questions: 1. How does attendance in early grades (kindergarten and first grade) relate to third grade performance? 2. Does the association between attendance and later outcomes depend on the readiness skills that students possess when they enter kindergarten? (Applied Survey Research, July 2011)...

Getting Teenagers Back to School: Rethinking New York State's Response to Chronic Absence - This policy brief looks at New York State’s practices responding to chronically absent teenagers, particularly reporting and investigating a teen’s parent or guardian to the child protective system for allegations of educational neglect. Vera proposes that New York rethink this response to teens missing too much school and develop more effective alternatives. (Vera Institute of Justice, October 2010)...

Raise the Age, Lower the Dropout Rate? Considerations for Policymakers - The policy brief focuses on this question: Is there empirical evidence to support raising compulsory school attendance age to 18 as a way of reducing the dropout rate? After reviewing research and analysis of state policies the authors conclude that raising the age alone is not an effective strategy. The authors argue that states should focus energy and resources on developing policies and programs that have shown to be successful and recommend policies to consider. (Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, April 2009)...