Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

50

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

Alix Desulme

B.A (St. Thomas University) 2004

M.S (St. Thomas University) 2006

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

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).

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Charter Secondary 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 minority students, which is a notable and distinctive quality, making it an anomaly in the surrounding area. 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 because truancy rates are so low compared to other schools in the area and nationwide.

First established in 2005, Charter Secondary 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. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

In its early history, Charter Secondary 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

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

While students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors perform 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%, Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

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. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Charter Secondary 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 ae 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, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, it may put 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 problems 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. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state the scope of problem to define the focus and improve 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).

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. 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 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 Charter Secondary 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 school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and procedures reduce truancy and improve student attendance. By interviewing key staff in Charter Secondary School, a public charter school with low truancy levels, information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered. These findings may provide a better understanding of what school leaders in other schools can do to improve truancy.

Attendance plays a large part in facing suspension and performing well academically. Research about truancy reduction suggests students with more attendance options may be able to overcome difficulties that contribute to truancy. 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. Charter Secondary 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. What may be the cause of truancy in students?

2. How does incentive theory play a role in understanding school truancy?

3. What are the effects of punitive or non-punitive truancy programs on students?

4. What are successful truancy programs doing that has led to reduction in truancy?

5. Why are some truancy programs unsuccessful at reducing truancy?

The research needs to delve into understanding the reasons behind truancy. For there to be solutions to the nationwide truancy problem, research must be directed towards evidence that explains motivations behind truancy behavior and what aspects of truancy programs help eliminate such behavior. By developing a clear idea of school truancy and why students become truant, the hope is to develop evidence-based practices that reduce school truancy in students. A myriad of shool programs exists for truancy, but the reality is, not many are effective.

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 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. Most 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 Charter Secondary 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).

The policies surrounding truancy programs and how academic staff react allow for themes discovered through the interview process to 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.

Conceptual framework: Organizational structures and leaders vision

The idea that truancy is a complex problem allows for focus on the various narratives incorporated in attempts at understanding and resolving the problem. So many different avenues point to potential solutions, however, experience denotes negative or positive outcomes. Therefore, the leaders vison of the selected school and of successful truancy programs, will allow for a scope of what may be valuable towards reduction of student truancy rates. Within the conceptual framework lies the theoretical framework, incentive and motivation.

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. Charter Secondary 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, 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 analyzed to identify underlying themes from respondents of the Charter Secondary School. By asking questions 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 fare better regarding academic scores and has a high graduation rate. If location plays a part (it is 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 Charter Secondary 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 what is workable for schools aimed at reducing truancy among students and what is not. Furthermore, 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. Like evidence-based practice in nursing, staff need to see evidence of policies that have already been enabled and implemented that have led to the success of students and the improved rates of attendance.

While it helps seeing the statistics of a successful school like Charter Secondary School, it is even more significant if schools see the steps it took to reach that level of success. Then that collected information can be compared to other schools as to identify what core principles and actions have been used to achieve such a positive result. Growth and positive outcomes can only come from tested and approved practices. The conceptual framework will work as a guide to see and understand if assumptions and hypotheses can be proven or disproven via comparison and analysis.

Researchers need to continue their pursuit of information and analysis to offer potential guidelines and directions for schools that need it. The growing problem of truancy in the United States requires a thoughtful and considerate assessment of ongoing issues. These issues will continue to remain prevalent unless action is taken. Action cannot be taken unless there is sound research and evidence behind it.

Lastly, studies like the one here offers an anchor point to investigate other aspects of school life, school environment, and student behavioral problems. If students have problems due to struggles with sexuality, gender identity, or even political affiliation, this could also be investigated in future studies. The results could then be used to spearhead changes in policies in the near future, leading to continue progression towards a safe and positive school environment.

Definition of Terms

The terms utilized in this study are detailed below.

Truancy When a student stays away from school without a sufficient reason; can be also labeled as absenteeism. Days suspended may be included in truancy rates.

Charter School (in the United States) a publicly funded independent school established by community groups, parents, or teachers under the terms of a charter with national/local authority.

Expulsion Meaning permanent withdrawing/exclusion, when a student is banned or removed from a school system/university due to consistent violations of an institution's rules. However, it can also be for a single offense of fitting harshness in extreme cases.

Suspension Regarding schools, suspension (a.k.a. temporary exclusion) is an obligatory leave given to a student as a method of penalty that can last anywhere from a single day to as long as several weeks, where a student cannot attend school or step foot inside the school (Kaufman & Kaufman,…

Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

50

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

Alix Desulme

B.A (St. Thomas University) 2004

M.S (St. Thomas University) 2006

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

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).

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Charter Secondary 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 minority students, which is a notable and distinctive quality, making it an anomaly in the surrounding area. 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 because truancy rates are so low compared to other schools in the area and nationwide.

First established in 2005, Charter Secondary 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. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

In its early history, Charter Secondary 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

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

While students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors perform 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%, Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

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. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Charter Secondary 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, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, it may put 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 problems 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. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state the scope of problem to define the focus and improve 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).

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. Current policies have enabled higher truancy rates due to the zero-tolerance aspect thatenables 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 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 Charter Secondary 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 school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and procedures reduce truancy and improve student attendance. By interviewing key staff in Charter Secondary School, a public charter school with low truancy levels, information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered. These findings may provide a better understanding of what school leaders in other schools can do to improve truancy.

Attendance plays a large part in facing suspension and performing well academically. Research about truancy reduction suggests students with more attendance options may be able to overcome difficulties that contribute to truancy. 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. Charter Secondary 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…

Effective Policies and Procedures Can Affect Truancy Rate

50

Policies and procedures perceived by school leaders

to reduce truancy in a public charter school

Alix Desulme

B.A (St. Thomas University) 2004

M.S (St. Thomas University) 2006

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

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).

With a national ranking of 764 and a Florida ranking of 66, Charter Secondary 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 minority students, which is a notable and distinctive quality, making it an anomaly in the surrounding area. 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 because truancy rates are so low compared to other schools in the area and nationwide.

First established in 2005, Charter Secondary 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. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

In its early history, Charter Secondary 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007). However, after 8 years, the school secured more funding and in 2005, renamed the school. 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 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007).

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

While students earn average test scores, overall, students who attend Doctors perform better than students at other schools in its district. The district average for English proficiency is 50% and Mathematic proficiency at 37%. The dist.......USNEWS, 2017). With a graduation rate of 98%, Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores has a lot going for it regarding positive aspects and student interest.

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 helth problems, to name a few. A negative school environment can cause problems for students wishing to learn. Unlike Charter Secondary 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, and they cannot go to school or contact the teacher for assignments, it may put 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 problems 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. Without a proper synthesis of the reasons surrounding the problem, there will be limited understanding about how to approach the study. Therefore, it is important to state the scope of problem to define the focus and improve 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).

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. 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 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 Charter Secondary 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 school leaders perspectives about whether effective policies and procedures reduce truancy and improve student attendance. By interviewing key staff in Charter Secondary School, a public charter school with low truancy levels, information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered. These findings may provide a better understanding of what school leaders in other schools can do to improve truancy.

Attendance plays a large part in facing suspension and performing well academically. Research about truancy reduction suggests students with more attendance options may be able to overcome difficulties that contribute to truancy. 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. Charter Secondary 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. What may be the cause of truancy in students?

2. How does incentive theory play a role in understanding school truancy?

3. What are the effects of punitive or non-punitive truancy programs on students?

4. What are successful truancy progras doing that has led to reduction in truancy?

5. Why are some truancy programs unsuccessful at reducing truancy?

The research needs to delve into understanding the reasons behind truancy. For there to be solutions to the nationwide truancy problem, research must be directed towards evidence that explains motivations behind truancy behavior and what aspects of truancy programs help eliminate such behavior. By developing a clear idea of school truancy and why students become truant, the hope is to develop evidence-based practices that reduce school truancy in students. A myriad of school programs exists for truancy, but the reality is, not many are effective.

Qualitative Studies and Interviews

The study is a qualitative one that focuses on the use o