Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/17/2024 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Start | |
| Presentation: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
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| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
January 17, 2024
3:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ADDRESSING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
HEDY CHANG, Executive Director
Attendance Works
San Francisco, California
POSITION STATEMENT: Delivered the presentation Addressing
Chronic Absenteeism: An Essential Ingredient of Pandemic
Recovery.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:33:10 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:33 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Gray-Jackson, Stevens, Kiehl, Bjorkman and Chair Tobin.
^Presentation: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
PRESENTATION:
ADDRESSING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM:
`AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT OF PANDEMIC RECOVERY
3:34:17 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of the presentation
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: An Essential Ingredient of
Pandemic Recovery.
3:35:20 PM
HEDY CHANG, Executive Director, Attendance Works, San Francisco,
California, moved to slide 2 and stated that the organization
Attendance Works was founded approximately ten years ago. She
stated that her first publication on the key issue of chronic
absenteeism was in 2008. The organization then shifted its focus
from why attendance matters for student success to what works to
improve attendance. The organization works with districts
nationwide to demonstrate that reducing absenteeism is possible.
The organization has an attendance awareness campaign to make it
easier for people to access free resources and tools. About
400,000 people visit the website annually. The organization also
works to advance policy changes.
3:36:53 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 3 and defined chronic absence as
missing so much school that a student is academically at risk.
Most states define chronic absence as missing more than ten
percent of school. It is important to intervene and address
issues early when students are put at risk due to absences.
Chronic absenteeism differs from truancy. Truancy is only
unexcused absences for average daily attendance. She defined
average daily attendance (ADA) as the number of students
attending school on any given day. Truancy and ADA can mask high
levels of chronic absence.
3:38:18 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 4 and stated chronic absence is deeply
connected to reading proficiency. She stated that prolonged
chronic absence during PreK - 2nd grade significantly reduces
reading proficiency by the end of 3rd grade. Most students will
be on track to be proficient in reading if they attend school
regularly.
3:39:02 PM
CHAIR TOBIN referred to slide 3 and asked for an explanation of
the difference between an excused and unexcused absence.
3:39:07 PM
MS. CHANG replied that the difference between excused and
unexcused absences can be arbitrary. Often, the difference is
documentation from parents and whether the district considers
the reason unexcused. For example, illness is typically
considered an excused absence, but without a doctor or parent
note, the school may still enter it as unexcused. Often
localities decide what constitutes an excused absence.
CHAIR TOBIN asked if any research indicates more absences among
some groups of students than others.
3:40:43 PM
MS. CHANG replied absolutely. The state of California collects
and publishes data on how many absences are excused versus
unexcused. Attendance Works, and others analyzed the data and
found that whether an absence is marked excused or unexcused is
related to income. Students from lower-income families tend to
have absences that are unexcused. There is also
disproportionality by race. Native American, African American,
Latino, and Pacific Islanders are more likely to have absences
considered unexcused. She stated this was true even after
considering income. Studies also found that hoping to improve
attendance by labeling absences unexcused for punitive action
did not improve attendance. Some evidence indicates that
accurate labeling leads to improved attendance. The key to
improving attendance is knowing the actual reasons kids miss
school.
3:42:16 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if it is correct that there is no change
in absenteeism when districts and parents take action.
3:42:31 PM
MS. CHANG replied no, to improve attendance an understanding of
why students are missing school is needed. In this way the
action taken by districts and parents is related to the reasons
for the absences. California sends mandated notices of truancy
to parents. Studies found that notices that focused on punitive
wording were 40 percent less effective at reducing absenteeism.
Punitive action that does not address the underlying reason for
missing school is unlikely to make a difference in student
attendance.
3:44:25 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 5 and said absenteeism affects 3rd-
grade reading, which impacts achievement levels in middle school
and increases the likelihood of dropping out of high school.
3:45:08 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 6 and said attendance affects more than
achievement:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L.
It is an opportunity to:
Build Routines
Daily attendance routines can reduce stress and create
a sense of safety and security especia after chaotic
transitions.
Increase Engagement
Being in school helps build relationships with peers
and school staff that nurture engagement.
Provide Access to resources
Schools provide access to meals, health and mental
health services, tutoring, mentoring, techn extra-
curriculars (sports, clubs, music etc), afterschool
and summer programs.
Support Learning
Showing up to school regularly helps students become
proficient in reading and math and graduate from high
school.
3:46:56 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 7 and spoke to data indicators for ADA,
Truancy and Chronic Absence:
[Original punctuation provided.]
What's the Difference between ADA, Truancy & Chronic
Absence?
Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
• School level measure (not student level)
• Notice aggregate attendance at certain points in
time (e.g., half-days, holidays, bad weather)
• Masks individual student chronic absences
Truancy
• Counts ONLY unexcused absences
• Emphasizes individual compliance with school
rules
• Uses legal, typically more blaming and punitive
solutions
Chronic Absence
• Counts ALL absences (excused, unexcused &
suspensions)
• Emphasizes impact of missed days
• Uses preventative, problem-solving, trauma-
sensitive strategies
• Cultivates family & student engagement
3:48:28 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 8 that contains a graph of chronic
absence data for Alaska and the U.S. from 2018 - 2023:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• The number of chronically absent students grew to
14,660,261 nationwide. In Alaska, it grew from
35,957 to 59,504.
• Increases are occurring in tandem with
significant drops in achievement (NAEP scores).
• Available 2022 23 data from states indicate
rates remained high.
3:49:43 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 9 and said that at 52 percent, chronic
absence is high among PreK and Kindergarten students in Alaska.
The percentage gets a little better for 2nd and 3rd-grade
students, is best when students are in 4th and 5th grade, and
increase thereafter to 49 percent for high school Seniors. The
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) provided
the information.
3:50:09 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said since Ms. Chang's research noted a correlation
between the decrease in (NAEP) scores and an increase in
absenteeism, she would find a comparison of chronic absenteeism
and NAEP scores interesting.
MS. CHANG suggested reaching out to DEED for the comparison. She
added that there is a national study that shows about 25 percent
of the decline in NAEP scores is related to increases in
absences.
3:50:57 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 10 and stated that students missing
school at high rates has a ripple effect on individual students,
work groups, teachers, and the school.
3:51:28 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 11 and said nationwide, most schools
(65 percent versus 28 percent pre-pandemic) are now challenged
by high (20-30 percent) and extreme (30 percent or more) rates
of chronic absence. In Alaska, nearly 86 percent of schools face
chronic absence. These numbers point to the importance of Alaska
addressing the issue of absenteeism to improve the educational
conditions for all students.
3:53:00 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 12 and stated that reducing chronic
absence requires addressing the underlying causes of
absenteeism, which are typically not solved through punitive
action. Reasons for missing school were divided into four
groups:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Barriers
• Chronic and acute illness
• Family responsibilities or home situation
• Trauma
• Poor transportation
• Housing and food insecurity
• Lack of access to needed services (including health)
• System involvement
• Lack of access to technology
• Community violence
Aversion
• Struggling academically and/or behaviorally
• Unwelcoming school climate
• Social and peer challenges
• Anxiety
• Biased disciplinary and suspension practices
• Undiagnosed disability and/or lack of disability
accommodations
• Caregivers had negative educational experiences
Disengagements
• Lack of challenging, culturally responsive
instruction
• Bored
• No meaningful relationships to adults in the school
(especially given staff shortages)
• Lack of enrichment opportunities
• Lack of academic and behavioral support
• Failure to earn credits
• Need to work conflicts with being in high school
Misconceptions
• Absences are only a problem if they are unexcused
• Missing 2 days per month doesn't affect learning
• Lose track and underestimate TOTAL absences
• Assume students must stay home for any symptom of
illness
• Attendance only matters in the older grades
• Suspensions don't count as absence
MS. CHANG noted that students were encouraged to stay home
during the pandemic. Now, students stay home even when they're
feeling ill due to anxiety, which only exacerbates the problem.
3:56:04 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that most reasons seem to be a symptom of
poverty or economic struggle. He asked if researchers could
tease out the effect of poverty from other causes and determine
the strength of the correlation.
3:57:12 PM
MS. CHANG replied that there is a strong correlation. However,
there is an increase in chronic absences in non-high-needs
students. Issues such as anxiety are not limited to kids who
experience poverty. States should consider poverty when
determining where to allocate resources since issues like access
to transportation, housing, food, and health care can compound
the difficulty of dealing with health concerns. This entails
partnering with other organizations and agencies to help meet
students' basic needs. She gave an example of how breakfast in
the classroom addressed student nutrition while improving
attendance by building connections between students and
teachers.
3:59:36 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked if there is a difference in student
resiliency regarding educational outcomes and the student's
ability to overcome absenteeism.
MS. CHANG replied that most high-poverty schools saw an increase
in absenteeism post-pandemic when compared to pre-pandemic
attendance. The fabric of a community is not always about money.
Students can grow up poor and still do well in school with
strong family and community connections. The correlation between
being poor, absenteeism, and doing well in school is not
absolute. She opined that families and communities need to build
support to strengthen students. She provided an example of an
unsafe community creating walking school buses to help students
who walked to school arrive safely. The solution didn't require
money; it required community.
4:02:29 PM
CHAIR TOBIN shared an anecdotal story of trauma experienced by
students in a rural community due to a polar bear attack.
Attending school was viewed as unsafe. Alaska has unique
challenges regarding barriers to attendance.
4:02:56 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 13 and agreed, stating that high levels
of chronic absence reflect an erosion of positive learning
conditions. Relationships are essential to building positive
conditions for learning in the following areas:
- Physical and Emotional Health and Safety
- Adult and Student Well-being and Emotional Competence
- Academic Challenge and Engagement
- Belonging, Connection and Supports
MS. CHANG stated that if parents do not feel schools are a safe
place for students, they will not send them regularly.
Belonging, connection, and support help children want to attend
school.
4:05:24 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 14 and said reducing chronic absence
requires investing in multi-tiered support systems that begin
with prevention. She described the various tiers:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Students missing Tier 3
20 percent or more Intensive Intervention
Students missing Tier 2
10 to 19 percent Early Intervention
All students and families Tier 1
Universal Prevention
All students and families Foundational Supports
That Promote Positive
Conditions for Learning
4:06:31 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 15 and said key ingredients of systemic
change to reduce absenteeism include actionable data, positive
engagement, strategic partnerships, adequate resources, shared
accountability, and capacity building.
4:07:22 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 16, Policy Recommendations:
1. Ensure consistent, accurate and comparable data at the
school, district, and state level.
2. Created shared accountability and alignment of
community resources through public reporting of data
3. Advance tiered systems of support that begin with
prevention
4. Promote creation of district and school teams to
address attendance
5. Support technical assistance, guidance and resources
that build district capacity to produce real-time data
dashboards, adopt effective strategies for improving
attendance as part of school improvement efforts, and
use data for outreach and continuous improvement
4:08:38 PM
MS. CHANG moved to slide 17 and said Attendance Works partnered
with Georgetown and created the Attendance Playbook, Smart
Strategies for Reducing Student Absenteeism Post-Pandemic.
Suggestions include:
[Original punctuation provided.]
TIER I Interventions
• Nudging Parents and Students
• Home Visits
• Positive Messaging
• Incentives
• Healthy School Buildings
• School-based Health Services
• Telehealth • School Buses and Public Transit
• A Safer Walk to School • Breakfast for All
• Laundry at School • Relevantand Culturally Relevant
Curriculum
• Threshold Greetings
• Rethinking Recess • Restorative Discipline Practices
TIER II Interventions
• Early Warning Systems
Mentors • Youth Engagement
• Addressing Asthma
• Targeted Transportation
• Students with Disabilities
• School Refusal
• Immigration Enforcement
TIER III Interventions
• Truancy Courts
• Interagency Case Management
• Housing Challenges
Attendance Playbook:
https://www.future-ed.org/attendance-playbook/
Implementation Guide:
https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/attendance -
playbook/
4:09:15 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if parents are less involved in ensuring
student attendance than 20 years ago.
4:09:37 PM
MS. CHANG replied that she is not sure if it is an issue of
involvement but worries that families have less appreciation for
the importance of students attending school every day because of
the pandemic. She opined that it was difficult for teachers to
shift to online learning during the pandemic. Consequently,
parents appreciated schooling less because they viewed student
learning during a crisis as typical. Parents need to understand
how important school is to their child's success. Research from
Learning Heros shows that ninety percent of parents think their
children are doing above average in school. A deeper dive into
the misconception showed that the grades students receive are
not an accurate reflection of how well students actually
perform. Parents need tools and information so they can best
support their children.
4:12:09 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON stated she appreciated the comment that
students whose families are not financially well off can still
do well in school. Being poor doesn't mean students do poorly in
school.
4:12:51 PM
MS. CHANG responded that families understand the importance of
school but are often embarrassed by barriers, such as adequate
housing or health care. Consequently, parents and students do
not inform school staff. Parents need to feel comfortable
telling school staff about what barriers they are facing. The
ability to form a partnership with parents would allow schools
to become a first line of defense for them to access resources;
it is not about wanting to succeed so much as struggling to
succeed. Research in Illinois showed that schools with higher
levels of effective family engagement had lower increases in
chronic absence during the pandemic.
4:14:36 PM
SENATOR STEVENS asked if a 4-day school week improves
attendance.
4:14:56 PM
MS. CHANG replied that it is essential to identify what is
causing students to miss school and determine a solution that
addresses the cause. She stated she needs clarification on what
a 4-day school week addresses. She encourages schools to look at
data and start small. She worries that missing one day means a
student has missed one-quarter of their learning for the week.
Furthermore, whether it would improve transportation is
uncertain.
4:17:19 PM
SENATOR STEVENS said her response was thought-provoking.
4:17:28 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said Anchorage is seeing an intersection between
attendance and the science of high school student brain
development. Next year, the Anchorage school district will have
a later start time for high schools. She expressed concern for
students of limited income and communities of need not arriving
at school due to missed transportation opportunities. She asked
how researchers analyze conflicting policy decisions that are
based on science.
4:18:21 PM
MS. CHANG acknowledged the dilemma between the need for sleep
and transportation. At the high school level, she suggested
taking attendance by class period and collecting a year's worth
of data before and after implementing the change. This would
enable the district to make a comparison. Also, the school
district should take proactive measures to address
transportation and other potential barriers. For example, the
school could investigate carpooling apps.
4:20:11 PM
CHAIR TOBIN thanked Ms. Chang for her expertise in helping to
improve student achievement in Alaska.
4:22:09 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 4:22 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Hedy Chang Presentation 01.15.2023.pdf |
SEDC 1/17/2024 3:30:00 PM |
Student absenteeism |