Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

47

EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CAN AFFECT TRUANCY RATE

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

A Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

University of New England

October 15, 2017

Chapter 1

Introduction:

Prevalence of Student Truancy

Student truancy is a growing problem in the United States. Over the last twenty years the truancy rates have grown nationwide with the highest rates in inner cities (Jacob & Lovett, 2017). Research indicates that student truancy leads to potential socially deviant behavior in adulthood (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017). Many students who are absent for prolonged periods are more likely to perform poorly academically, risking failure in classes and facing disciplinary action. Characteristics of schools with high truancy rates are use of only punitive truancy programs, lack of alternative study options for suspended students, and lack of counseling and tutoring (Bye, 2010).

There are schools that have been doing well in maintaining low truancy rates, however. Those schools give students the option for tutoring, allow distance learning for suspended students, and take on a mixture of punitive and non-punitive measures (Duarte & Hatch, 2014).

These low truancy rates some researchers suggest come because of poverty, crime, and race (Bye, 2010). However, there are schools with non-white students that have low truancy rates.

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Doctors Charter School is considered one of the best high schools in the state regarding student attendance rates and overall school participation. The school has a low truancy among students, which is a notable and distinctive quality. Such a quality will be analyzed in depth in this paper along with the various possible reasons for the students willingness to attend class regularly and what methods are employed by school staff to keep the school environment positive.

First established in 2005, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shore is a public charter school built on the Barry University Campus, sitting on 5 acres of property. It is in Miami Shore, an area of Florida. The current enrollment number stands at 599 and the campus type is suburban. The school mascot are the Hawks and the principle is Dr. Kelly Andrews. Rate A as a college preparatory school, the school holds a municipal charter via Village of Miami Shores that serves students from grades 6-12 (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). The grades Doctors serves are from 6-12.

In its early history, Doctors Charter School was originally a middle school established in 1997 under the name, Miami Shores/Barry University Charter School. The nine portable structures that comprised the school, served as an alternative for Miami Shore students that would otherwise attend Horace Mann Middle School (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school its current name. The school gained a permanent structure thanks to the donations given by the citizens of Miami Shores and additional funds from the North Dade Medical Foundation.

DCS draws funds from two separate streams. One part of the funding comes from a bond issue approved by Village residents and a large two-year grant given by the North Dade Medical Foundation for FY 2006 and 2007. DCS raises the remainder of its operating expenses from the state through its FTE funding (a set amount for each student in the classroom per day) and through the collection of student fees for such things as materials and trips (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007).

The school has 31 full-time teachers for students displaying for a student population of 598 students that reflect a ratio of less than 20 students per teacher (19:1) (USNEWS, 2017). The complete percentage of economically disadvantaged students lies at 33% with complete minority enrollment at of 83%. Although class attendance is high, and the percentage of students whoAP tested for AP exams percentage at (81%), the percentage of students that who pass the AP exams stand atis 47%, or less than half. English and Mathematic proficiency levels lie also have low percentages at 70% and 68% respectively, which is above the district and nationwide average (USNEWS, 2017). With a College Readiness Index of 48.8, the school has room for improvement.

Even with theWhile students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors performs better than students at other schools in its district. The district average for English proficiency is 50% and Mathematic proficiency at 37%. The district average for college readiness is at 44.7 and this is out of 113 schools and 113, 242 students (USNEWS, 2017). With a graduation rate of 98%, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

These kinds of schools aim to provide the bridge for truancy to be improved. However, there arises a need to understand why students are truant in the first place. Parents worry that their children will be truant due to certain behaviors. However, these behaviors could be attributed to a negative environment in the home or at school.

Understanding the Reasons for Truancy

There are several reasons for truancy and they are often complex and varied. Some pertain to a negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problems, to name a few.

Parents that put their children in school have worries that they may not receive the kind of high quality education they deserve. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Doctors Charter School, classrooms across the Miami often have large classrooms for example, making it difficult for students to pay attention in class and receive attention necessary for understanding the curriculum (Losen, 2015). If for example, a student has questions or needs examples for a specific assignment in class, the teacher may not have the time or patience to deal with that student when he or she must deal with 29 other students all needing the same level of attention.

Many schools across the country have strict policies regarding disruptive student behavior that could land a student under suspension or even, expulsion. Severalfactors could cause disruptive behavior among students (Losen, 2015). One common reason is poverty. high levels of poverty have a negative effect on school behavior. This is attributed largely to the chronic and acute stress experienced by students living in poverty. The exposure is associated with externalizing behaviors that are disruptive in school settings (Hutcheson, 2014, p. 1). Students facing poverty may be part of an unstable household. They may endure problematic and abusive parents, and have to deal with lack of resources. These students need a chance every now and then to learn from their mistakes and receive the help and resources that could make a positive difference in their lives. Instead, they are suspended or expelled and not given a chance to improve. High rates of suspension can lend to a higher rate of truancy. The bifactor structure reflected a general factor of Problems in Behavioral Engagement and two group factors: Problems in Social Engagement and Problems in Academic Engagement (Barghaus et al., 2016, p. 154). Researchers note students often may not have problems academically, but instead socially. They may not feel comfortable engaging with other students due to fear of judgement or inability to properly socialize. Providing students with the tools to both engage socially and academically can allow for a higher percentage of academic-based positive outcomes.

Student interest may also play a key role in truancy (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017)..

This is because suspensions and expulsions may impact student interest in a negative way. When students receive suspensions, they have no access to the schoolwork. When the suspension ends, depending on how long the time out of school was, they may have increased difficulty catching up with the class.

If there is no option to complete school work via online access, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, this which puts these kinds of students at an automatic disadvantage. This is especially the case if they have a hard time academically already. To fall behind in schoolwork when the student has experienced low grades could setback a student and could end up in having failures in classes. By exploring incentive theory of motivation and research showing the connection between expulsion/suspension, interest, and truancy, the hope is to offer clarity in why truancy rates are high and what can be done to counteract it. These problems: negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problem (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017) (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014) must be addressed for truancy programs to be effective.

The scope of the pProblems associated with truancy is large. For the purpose of this study, the specific focus will be school-based policies and procedures that may mitigate or reduce truancy. s need to be clarified. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there is will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state what this kindthe scope of problem is to define the focus and improve potential examination and synthesis.the quality of the study.

Statement of the Problem

Truancy rates in the United States are a growing problem (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014). Whether a student is absent due to a suspension or because they willingly choose to be absent, the problem has become worthy of research and possible intervention. Truancy rates are higher in schools with low socio-economic status (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014).

Most of the students that attend the school are of minority. Some of the truancy problems occur in minority populations (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014).

What policies has the school adopted to support a positive environment that motivates students to attend school and learn?

The problem addressed by the study is:

Educational leaders may have implemented policies and procedures in public charter schools, but documentation about which are most effective and why they are is largely absent.

Action must be taken to help avoid problems in the future. Current policies have enabled higher truancy rates due to the zero-tolerance aspect that enables harsher and stricter punishment of student behavior. Since the 1990s, implementation of zero tolerance policies in schools has led to increased use of school suspension and expulsion as disciplinary techniques for students with varying degrees of infractions (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When students are suspended, or expelled for their behavior, they may have a tougher time catching up in school and succeeding in their academic endeavors. This can lead to other problems down the line as the students mature and become adults.

Research suggests the experience of suspension of expulsion could lead to illegal behavior that is associated with a criminal record. Being suspended or expelled from school increased the likelihood of arrest in that same month and this effect was stronger among youth who did not have a history of behavior problems and when youth associated with less delinquent peers (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When schools expel and suspend students, adding to the truancy rates of the school, negative behaviors may increase. The zero tolerance policies of schools have become the main cause for concern in these growing cases of suspension and expulsion. Therefore, policies need to be changed to address this problem. To do so, one must examine schools like Doctors Charter School to determine what steps to take to make a positive change. Although truancy does not directly lead to crime, it often has a high correlation.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to understand how school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and proceduresy can enable improvedreduce truancy and improve student attendance for students. By interviewing key staff in Doctors Charter School, a successful public charter school in relation towith low truancy levels, there may be enough information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered. These findings mayy that can provide a better understanding of what school leaders in can be done in other schools can do to improve truancy.

One potential aspect of effective school policy is home schooling. Schools with the option of homeschooling may provide hope for those who cannot attend school or who are suspended and are unable to attend.

Attendance plays a large part in facing suspension and performing well academically. However, if schools have an online option, this may help students keep up with school work and have options. The Doctors Charter School has a student portal on their website that allows students to access online resources and even contact teachers and staff. Through here

Research about truancy reduction suggests students with more attendance options may When students have more options, they can be able to overcome difficulties that contribute to truancy.

they may face with others or in their household. Effective school policies that improve attendance may contain processes and options that provide such support and variability. Without understanding such aspects, little help could be generated and implemented to help students in need and help them avoid high truancy rates.

This area of research will be explored in the interview section and results. Doctors Charter School has better attendance and better academic performance compared to all the other schools in the district (on average). Furthermore, most of the students are minority or non-white. This school is a perfect starting point for investigation into effective school policies. A look into other successful schools should provide a measure of effectiveness needed to understand better what strategies can improve attendance. It can also show how other schools handle things like minority majority and location of school like an urban, rural, or suburban setting.

Research Questions

1. How do the policies in effect at Doctors Charter School discourage truancy? How do school leaders describe attendance? Anti-truancy? Policies and procedures?

2. What policies and procedures are in effect in other public charter schools where attendance is high? and how can they contribute to an anti-truancy policy? Does this information show up in the literature review? If not, then plan to keep a version of this question.

3. To what degree do staff at Doctors perceive they adhere to the written policies and proceduresy?

This question is a more specific version of the third question to help understand why the policy implemented in these schools is ineffective. If the policies promote strict adherence, it could increase rates of suspension and expulsion, increasing rates of truancy.

4. Can the option of online education reduce truancy rates in schools?

Online education can be a powerful tool for learning. As school begin to modernize, they may offer student portals as seen in Doctors Charter School. However, can online classes be a viable option for students experiencing problems in school?

Qualitative Studies and Interviews

The study is a qualitative one that focuses on the use of interviews to collect qualitative data. The interview has today become one of the most widespread knowledge-producing practices across the human and social sciences in general and also in critical psychology more specifically (Brinkmann, 2014, p. 1008). Interviews can range from formal interviews or informal interviews. They can be done face-to-face, over the phone, or over the internet. Formal interviews have a structure to them where the researcher asks a question and the participant answers. However, in informal interviews, there can be discussion and does not have to stick to the questions asked. The majority of qualitative interviews have some structure to them and are labeled, semi-structured. Most qualitative interviews, however, are semi-structured. In a semi-structured interview, the researcher provides some structure based on her research interests and interview guide but works flexibly with the guide and allows room for the respondents more spontaneous descriptions and narratives (Brinkmann, 2014, p. 1008).

There is a need to understand from the staff or school leaders perspectives that work at Doctors Charter School why the policies at the school work. To understand what improvements have been made and what kind of school environment such policies promote, this can give a good picture of what is being done to achieve positive outcomes for the student population attending. Similar studies using interviews have gathered a significant amount of insightful information that allows for the ability to answer important questions.

Using fixed effects regressions and controlling for truancy peer group effects, we observe that truancy (measured as both a discrete dummy variable and a continuous count measure) positively correlates to early school leaving. A truant has a 3.4 percentage points higher risk of leaving school without a qualification (De Witte & Csillag, 2012, p. 549).

Interviews help answer assumptions that commonly are associated with attendance record. For example, higher truancy rates can lead to negative academic outcomes for students. Because the qualitative study is a simple one, the questions will not be analyzed extensively, rather, they will be examined to identify underlying themes. These themes will then be compared to themes found in the literature review to see if there is a universal theme or concept being applied that leads to successful academic performance by students and good attendance records. It is important to allow students and staffers to give their opinions as well as enable discussion of what caused the positive or negative opinion. This will allow for easier analysis of responses.

Another study interviewed youths and their experiences showed they needed support from their parents and more engagement from the school to motivate them to come to school more and learn. Youths experiences and recommendations illustrate the multiple factors that influence school truancy and suggest potential leverage points for reducing truancy, including modifications to the school environment to increase student engagement; a more effective school response to address truancy (Gase, DeFosset, Perry, & Kuo, 2016, p. 299). Motivation is an integral aspect of reducing truancy among students.

(Will keep in this section because I am introducing the conceptual framework discussed in literature review. This was asked to be expanded in previous correction.)

An important theory that will be explored in this paper is the incentive theory of motivation. people are pulled towards behaviors that offer positive incentives and pushed away from behaviors associated with negative incentives. The incentive theory suggests that people are motivated to do things because of external rewards (Rehman & Haider, 2013, p. 141). If students are incentivized to attend class by receiving a reward, this may be a crucial part missing in schools with high truancy rates and may explain the downward spiral of some students when they are punished severely for being absent. Doctors Charter School has non-academic awards that they give out to students who are respectful and have good attendance records. These could be incentives for students to continue attending class. The schools attendance procedure is strict, but allows for evaluation of the reasons behind a students absence. Such consideration for a student allows for room for the student to resolve his or her problems and continue going to school. One rule in particular, is that if a student misses an x amount of days, they will have the same amount of days to make up the assignment. Although this may be difficult to accomplish, it does leave some wiggle room for students, thus increasing their motivation to continue following the rules of the school.

Assumptions

The main assumption that guides this study is that truancy policies and procedures are the cornerstone for reduction in truancy rates. Other assumptions include the notion that higher rates of truancy lead to poorer academic performance. When students fail to attend class voluntarily, they put themselves at greater risk of performing poorly in school. This can happen due to their inability to keep up in school and lack of motivation to complete assignments. They may be unwilling to attend school due to mental health problems, an unstable home life, or physical health conditions.

Another assumption is that students living in poverty and minority students may have a more difficult time with school due to a turbulent home life and dealing with institutionalized racism. Although this is not a topic that will be covered in-depth in this paper, it is important to recognize the difficulties that come from lack of resources and potentially being a minority, and see how that could affect truancy rates. This could lend to creation and implementation of even more effective school policies that can ultimately reduce truancy rates and maintain them low in the future.

Limitations

The study will be limited to one public charter school. the Doctors Charters School. This is because of the need to understand what the school does and then compare that information to other successful schools. Another limitation is the number of people to interview for the study. Because the interview is qualitative and in-person, not many people can and will be available to answer questions. The study is also limited to the schools within the United States. The literature review will only examine how American schools handle truancy and polices that either decrease or increase truancy rates. The final limitation is parents. Although parental opinion may be helpful, it would be better to leave the interviews to students and staffers with parents giving permission to the student to speak. No other limitations are noted.

Scope of the Study

The study is qualitative, and will use interviews with school staff to collect data. Interview transcripts will be-based and aims to analyzed the to identify underlying themes from respondents of the Doctors Charter School. By asking questions staff from the school, the hope is to understand what effective policies are in place that allows for better attendance rates than other schools in the district. Interestingly, the school also fares better regarding academic scores and has a high graduation rate. If location plays a part (it is located in a suburban area), this should be explored via the interview questions to gain a better understanding of all aspects of effective policy within the school.

The literature review provides a foundation, the interviews provide the data. Aside from the qualitative interviews, the literature review will serve as a comparative guide to not only base some of the questions, but also compare the data garnered from the interviews. If other successful schools have similar policies in place, this could serve as a potential standard that can applied nationally to help decrease truancy in all schools throughout the country. The literature review will also serve to provide examples of policies in school with high truancy rates to see what should not be done. The results will also be discussed within the context of potential modification that can be made to help improve attendance rates and academic success of students even further.

Ultimately, it is important to acknowledge what Doctors Charter School has to offer and see whether that can serve as a gauge for other schools in the district, any maybe, in the country. Although the qualitative study is small, only including six students and four staff members from the school, it may provide the kind of insight that cannot be gathered elsewhere. Use of databases available to highlight nationwide truancy rates may also be used, again as a comparative tool.

Significance

The study can be an important step in learning more about how retention policies influence decision making in schools. The findings may lead to this school and others standardizing effective programs and policies. Public schools across the United States need to know that they can have the knowledge to improve their student populations academic progress and attendance. First, however, they need to see the information that proves certain policy implementations work and are worth the time, money, and effort. Similar to evidence-based practice in nursing, staff need to see evidence of policies that have already been…

Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

47

EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CAN AFFECT TRUANCY RATE

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

A Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

University of New England

October 15, 2017

Chapter 1

Introduction:

Prevalence of Student Truancy

Student truancy is a growing problem in the United States. Over the last twenty years the truancy rates have grown nationwide with the highest rates in inner cities (Jacob & Lovett, 2017). Research indicates that student truancy leads to potential socially deviant behavior in adulthood (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017). Many students who are absent for prolonged periods are more likely to perform poorly academically, risking failure in classes and facing disciplinary action. Characteristics of schools with high truancy rates are use of only punitive truancy programs, lack of alternative study options for suspended students, and lack of counseling and tutoring (Bye, 2010).

There are schools that have been doing well in maintaining low truancy rates, however. Those schools give students the option for tutoring, allow distance learning for suspended students, and take on a mixture of punitive and non-punitive measures (Duarte & Hatch, 2014).

These low truancy rates some researchers suggest come because of poverty, crime, and race (Bye, 2010). However, there are schools with non-white students that have low truancy rates.

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Doctors Charter School is considered oneof the best high schools in the state regarding student attendance rates and overall school participation. The school has a low truancy among students, which is a notable and distinctive quality. Such a quality will be analyzed in depth in this paper along with the various possible reasons for the students willingness to attend class regularly and what methods are employed by school staff to keep the school environment positive.

First established in 2005, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shore is a public charter school built on the Barry University Campus, sitting on 5 acres of property. It is in Miami Shore, an area of Florida. The current enrollment number stands at 599 and the campus type is suburban. The school mascot are the Hawks and the principle is Dr. Kelly Andrews. Rate A as a college preparatory school, the school holds a municipal charter via Village of Miami Shores that serves students from grades 6-12 (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). The grades Doctors serves are from 6-12.

In its early history, Doctors Charter School was originally a middle school established in 1997 under the name, Miami Shores/Barry University Charter School. The nine portable structures that comprised the school, served as an alternative for Miami Shore students that would otherwise attend Horace Mann Middle School (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school its current name. The school gained a permanent structure thanks to the donations given by the citizens of Miami Shores and additional funds from the North Dade Medical Foundation.

DCS draws funds from two separate streams. One part of the funding comes from a bond issue approved by Village residents and a large two-year grant given by the North Dade Medical Foundation for FY 2006 and 2007. DCS raises the remainder of its operating expenses from the state through its FTE funding (a set amount for each student in the classroom per day) and through the collection of student fees for such things as materials and trips (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007).

The school has 31 full-time teachers for students displaying for a student population of 598 students that reflect a ratio of less than 20 students per teacher (19:1) (USNEWS, 2017). The complete percentage of economically disadvantaged students lies at 33% with complete minority enrollment at of 83%. Although class attendance is high, and the percentage of students whoAP tested for AP exams percentage at (81%), the percentage of students that who pass the AP exams stand atis 47%, or less than half. English and Mathematic proficiency levels lie also have low percentages at 70% and 68% respectively, which is above the district and nationwide average (USNEWS, 2017). With a College Readiness Index of 48.8, the school has room for improvement.

Even with theWhile students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors performs better than students at other schools in its district. The district average for English proficiency is 50% and Mathematic proficiency at 37%. The district average for college readiness is at 44.7 and this is out of 113 schools and 113, 242 students (USNEWS, 2017). With a graduation rate of 98%, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

These kinds of schools aim to provide the bridge for truancy to be improved. However, there arises a need to understand why students are truant in the first place. Parents worry that their children will be truant due to certain behaviors. However, these behaviors could be attributed to a negative environment in the home or at school.

Understanding the Reasons for Truancy

There are several reasons for truancy and they are often complex and varied. Some pertain to a negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problems, to name a few.

Parents that put their children in school have worries that they may not receive the kind of high quality education they deserve. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Doctors Charter School, classrooms across the Miami often have large classrooms for example, making it difficult for students to pay attention in class and receive attention necessary for understanding the curriculum (Losen, 2015). If for example, a student has questions or needs examples for a specific assignment in class, the teacher may not have the time or patience to deal with that student when he or she must deal with 29 other students all needing the same level of attention.

Many schools across the country have strict policies regarding disruptive student behavior that could land a student under suspension or even, expulsion. Several factors could cause disruptive behavior among students (Losen, 2015). One common reason is poverty. high levels of poverty have a negative effect on school behavior. This is attributed largely to the chronic and acute stress experienced by students living in poverty. The exposure is associated with externalizing behaviors that are disruptive in school settings (Hutcheson, 2014, p. 1). Students facing poverty may be part of an unstable household. They may endure problematic and abusive parents, and have to deal with lack of resources. These students need a chance every now and then to learn from their mistakes and receive the help and resources that could make a positive difference in their lives. Instead, they are suspended or expelled and not given a chance to improve. High rates of suspension can lend to a higher rate of truancy. The bifactor structure reflected a general factor of Problems in Behavioral Engagement and two group factors: Problems in Social Engagement and Problems in Academic Engagement (Barghaus et al., 2016, p. 154). Researchers note students often may not have problems academically, but instead socially. They may not feel comfortable engaging with other students due to fear of judgement or inability to properly socialize. Providing students with the tools to both engage socially and academically can allow for a higher percentage of academic-based positive outcomes.

Student interest may also play a key role in truancy (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017)..

This is because suspensions and expulsions may impact student interest in a negative way. When students receive suspensions, they have no access to the schoolwork. When the suspension ends, depending on how long the time out of school was, they may have increased difficulty catching up with the class.

If there is no option to complete school work via online access, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, this which puts these kinds of students at an automatic disadvantage. This is especially the case if they have a hard time academically already. To fall behind in schoolwork when the student has experienced low grades could setback a student and could end up in having failures in classes. By exploring incentive theory of motivation and research showing the connection between expulsion/suspension, interest, and truancy, the hope is to offer clarity in why truancy rates are high and what can be done to counteract it. These problems: negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problem (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017) (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014) must be addressed for truancy programs to be effective.

The scope of the pProblems associated with truancy is large. For the purpose of this study, the specific focus will be school-based policies and procedures that may mitigate or reduce truancy. s need to be clarified. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there is will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state what this kindthe scope of problem is to define the focus and improve potential examination and synthesis.the qality of the study.

Statement of the Problem

Truancy rates in the United States are a growing problem (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014). Whether a student is absent due to a suspension or because they willingly choose to be absent, the problem has become worthy of research and possible intervention. Truancy rates are higher in schools with low socio-economic status (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014).

Most of the students that attend the school are of minority. Some of the truancy problems occur in minority populations (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014).

What policies has the school adopted to support a positive environment that motivates students to attend school and learn?

The problem addressed by the study is:

Educational leaders may have implemented policies and procedures in public charter schools, but documentation about which are most effective and why they are is largely absent.

Action must be taken to help avoid problems in the future. Current policies have enabled higher truancy rates due to the zero-tolerance aspect that enables harsher and stricter punishment of student behavior. Since the 1990s, implementation of zero tolerance policies in schools has led to increased use of school suspension and expulsion as disciplinary techniques for students with varying degrees of infractions (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When students are suspended, or expelled for their behavior, they may have a tougher time catching up in school and succeeding in their academic endeavors. This can lead to other problems down the line as the students mature and become adults.

Research suggests the experience of suspension of expulsion could lead to illegal behavior that is associated with a criminal record. Being suspended or expelled from school increased the likelihood of arrest in that same month and this effect was stronger among youth who did not have a history of behavior problems and when youth associated with less delinquent peers (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When schools expel and suspend students, adding to the truancy rates of the school, negative behaviors may increase. The zero tolerance policies of schools have become the main cause for concern in these growing cases of suspension and expulsion. Therefore, policies need to be changed to address this problem. To do so, one must examine schools like Doctors Charter School to determine what steps to take to make a positive change. Although truancy does not directly lead to crime, it often has a high correlation.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to understand how school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and proceduresy can enable improvedreduce truancy and improve student attendance for students. By interviewing key staff in Doctors Charter School, a successful public charter school in relation towith low…

Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

47

EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CAN AFFECT TRUANCY RATE

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

A Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

University of New England

October 15, 2017

Chapter 1

Introduction:

Prevalence of Student Truancy

Student truancy is a growing problem in the United States. Over the last twenty years the truancy rates have grown nationwide with the highest rates in inner cities (Jacob & Lovett, 2017). Research indicates that student truancy leads to potential socially deviant behavior in adulthood (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017). Many students who are absent for prolonged periods are more likely to perform poorly academically, risking failure in classes and facing disciplinary action. Characteristics of schools with high truancy rates are use of only punitive truancy programs, lack of alternative study options for suspended students, and lack of counseling and tutoring (Bye, 2010).

There are schools that have been doing well in maintaining low truancy rates, however. Those schools give students the option for tutoring, allow distance learning for suspended students, and take on a mixture of punitive and non-punitive measures (Duarte & Hatch, 2014).

These low truancy rates some researchers suggest come because of poverty, crime, and race (Bye, 2010). However, there are schools with non-white students that have low truancy rates.

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Doctors Charter School is considered one of the best high schools in the state regarding student attendance rates and overall school participation. The school has a low truancy among students, which is a notable and distinctive quality. Such a quality will be analyzed in depth in this paper along with the various possible reasons for the students willingness to attend class regularly and what methods are employed by school staff to keep the school environment positive.

First established in 2005, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shore is a public charter school built on the Barry University Campus, sitting on 5 acres of property. It is in Miami Shore, an area of Florida. The current enrollment number stands at 599 and the campus type is suburban. The school mascot are the Hawks and the principle is Dr. Kelly Andrews. Rate A as a college preparatory school, the school holds a municipal charter via Village of Miami Shores that serves students from grades 6-12 (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). The grades Doctors serves are from 6-12.

In its early history, Doctors Charter School was originally a middle school established in 1997 under the name, Miami Shores/Barry University Charter School. The nine portable structures that comprised the school, served as an alternative for Miami Shore students that would otherwise attend Horace Mann Middle School (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school its current name. The school gained a permanent structure thanks to the donations given by the citizens of Miami Shores and additional funds from the North Dade Medical Foundation.

DCS draws funds from two separate streams. One part of the funding comes from a bond issue approved by Village residents and a large two-year grant given by the North Dade Medical Foundation for FY 2006 and 2007. DCS raises the remainder of its operating expenses from the state through its FTE funding (a set amount for each student in the classroom per day) and through the collection of student fees for such things as materials and trips (Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores, 2007).

The school has 31 full-time teachers for students displaying for a student population of 598 students that reflect a ratio of less than 20 students per teacher (19:1) (USNEWS, 2017). The complete percentage of economically disadvantaged students lies at 33% with complete minority enrollment at of 83%. Although class attendance is high, and the percentage of students whoAP tested for AP exams percentage at (81%), the percentage of students that who pass the AP exams stand atis 47%, or less than half. English and Mathematic proficiency levels lie also have low......., 2017). With a College Readiness Index of 48.8, the school has room for improvement.

Even with theWhile students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors performs better than students at other schools in its district. The district average for English proficiency is 50% and Mathematic proficiency at 37%. The district average for college readiness is at 44.7 and this is out of 113 schools and 113, 242 students (USNEWS, 2017). With a graduation rate of 98%, Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

p>These kinds of schools aim to provide the bridge for truancy to be improved. However, there arises a need to understand why students are truant in the first place. Parents worry that their children will be truant due to certain behaviors. However, these behaviors could be attributed to a negative environment in the home or at school.

Understanding the Reasons for Truancy

There are several reasons for truancy and they are often complex and varied. Some pertain to a negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problems, to name a few.

Parents that put their children in school have worries that they may not receive the kind of high quality education they deserve. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Doctors Charter School, classrooms across the Miami often have large classrooms for example, making it difficult for students to pay attention in class and receive attention necessary for understanding the curriculum (Losen, 2015). If for example, a student has questions or needs examples for a specific assignment in class, the teacher may not have the time or patience to deal with that student when he or she must deal with 29 other students all needing the same level of attention.

Many schools across the country have strict policies regarding disruptive student behavior that could land a student under suspension or even, expulsion. Several factors could cause disruptive behavior among students (Losen, 2015). One common reason is poverty. high levels of poverty have a negative effect on school behavior. This is attributed largely to the chronic and acute stress experienced by students living in poverty. The exposure is associated with externalizing behaviors that are disruptive in school settings (Hutcheson, 2014, p. 1). Students facing poverty may be part of an unstable household. They may endure problematic and abusive parents, and have to deal with lack of resources. These students need a chance every now and then to learn from their mistakes and receive the help and resources that could make a positive difference in their lives. Instead, they are suspended or expelled and not given a chance to improve. High rates of suspension can lend to a higher rate of truancy. The bifactor structure reflected a general factor of Problems in Behavioral Engagement and two group factors: Problems in Social Engagement and Problems in Academic Engagement (Barghaus et al., 2016, p. 154). Researchers note students often may not have problems academically, but instead socially. They may not feel comfortable engaging with other students due to fear of judgement or inability to properly socialize. Providing students with the tools to both engage socially and academically can allow for a higher percentage of academic-based positive outcomes.

Student interest may also play a key role in truancy (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017)..

This is because suspensions and expulsions may impact student interest in a negative way. When students receive suspensions, they have no access to the schoolwork. When the suspension ends, depending on how long the time out of school was, they may have increased difficulty catching up with the class.

If there is no option to complete school work via online access, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, this which puts these kinds of students at an automatic disadvantage. This is especially the case if they have a hard time academically already. To fall behind in schoolwork when the student has experienced low grades could setback a student and could end up in having failures in classes. By exploring incentive theory of motivation and research showing the connection between expulsion/suspension, interest, and truancy, the hope is to offer clarity in why truancy rates are high and what can be done to counteract it. These problems: negative school environment, student behavior, family economic status, mental health problem (Dronkers, Veerman, & Pong, 2017) (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014) must be addressed for truancy programs to be effective.

The scope of the pProblems associated with truancy is large. For the purpose of this study, the specific focus will be school-based policies and procedures that may mitigate or reduce truancy. s need to be clarified. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there is will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state what this kindthe scope of problem is to define the focus and improve potential examination and synthesis.the quality of the study.

Statement of the Problem

Truancy rates in the United States are a growing problem (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014). Whether a student is absent due to a suspension or because they willingly choose to be absent, the problem has become worthy of research and possible intervention. Truancy rates are higher in schools with low socio-economic status (Dembo, Wareham, Schmeidler, Briones-Robinson, & Winters, 2014).

Most of the students that attend the school are of minority. Some of the truancy problems occur in minority populations (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014).

What policies has the school adopted to support a positive environment that motivates students to attend school and learn?

The problem addressed by the study is:

Educational leaders may have implemented policies and procedures in public charter schools, but documentation about which are most effective and why they are is largely absent.

Action must be taken to help avoid problems in the future. Current policies have enabled higher truancy rates due to the zero-tolerance aspect that enables harsher and stricter punishment of student behavior. Since the 1990s, implementation of zero tolerance policies in schools has led to increased use of school suspension and expulsion as disciplinary techniques for students with varying degrees of infractions (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When students are suspended, or expelled for their behavior, they may have a tougher time catching up in school and succeeding in their academic endeavors. This can lead to other problems down the line as the students mature and become adults.

Research suggests the experience of suspension of expulsion could lead to illegal behavior that is associated with a criminal record. Being suspended or expelled from school increased the likelihood of arrest in that same month and this effect was stronger among youth who did not have a history of behavior problems and when youth associated with less delinquent peers (Monahan, VanDerhei, Bechtold, & Cauffman, 2014, p. 1110). When schools expel and suspend students, adding to the truancy rates of the school, negative behaviors may increase. The zero tolerance policies of schools have become the main cause for concern in these growing cases of suspension and expulsion. Therefore, policies need to be changed to address this problem. To do so, one must examine schools like Doctors Charter School to determine what steps to take to make a positive change. Although truancy does not directly lead to crime, it often has a high correlation.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to understand how school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and proceduresy can enable improvedreduce truancy and improve student attendance for students. By interviewing key staff in Doctors Charter School, a successful public charter school in relation towith low truancy levels, there may be enough information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered. These findings mayy that can provide a better understanding of what school leaders in can be done in other schools can do to improve truancy.

One potential aspect of effective school policy is home schooling. Schools with the option of homeschooling may provide hope for those who cannot attend school or whoare suspended and are unable to attend.

Attendance plays a large part in facing suspension and performing well academically. However, if schools have an online option, this may help students keep up with school w