Combatting Chronic Absenteeism at Wakefield
High School
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015
http://www.wakefieldffa.com/instructors.html
A Race to the Top Initiative
NC Department of Public Instruction
Educator Effectiveness Division
Welcome
Jodi Riedel
[email protected]
Wakefield High School Agriculture Teacher
Norms for Participation
• Minimize outside distractions.
• Be attentive and participate in all activities.
• Share your ideas with colleagues.
Register in eSchools
•eSchool Solutions
•Chronic Absenteeism in Agricultural
Education
•SRN #155238601
•1.5 hours
•.15 credit
Outcomes
• Understand GTN.
• Explore chronic absenteeism.
• Define the A-Team (Absence Combat Team)
• Identify absence data at WHS.
• Recognize the impacts of the A-Team.
• Identify chronic absentee data at your school.
Does Chronic Absenteeism
impact your classroom?
Let’s find out what you think.
Answer Garden
You can scan this QR code to reach the
Answer Garden, as well.
What is the Governor’s
Teacher Network?
• A talented group of 450 outstanding teachers were
selected from 1400 applicants for 2014-15.
• Teachers identify instructional needs, create innovative
digital instructional resources and design professional
development to support key Race to the Top initiatives in
Home Base.
• Network Teachers continue their current educator roles
in their schools and districts and serve in one of two
pathways.
What is the
Governor’s Teacher Network?
Pathway 1 Teachers: Professional Development
• Identify problems of practice around instructional
needs and conduct action research projects in their
schools.
• Investigate and analyze the effectiveness of strategies
and practices on student learning.
• Create professional development sessions and
materials to be posted in Schoolnet and the
Professional Development System in Home Base.
Action Research
Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers and
other educators to find solutions for critical,
challenging, relevant issues in their classrooms and
schools.
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014
What is Action Research?
Classroom and school research conducted by
teachers to:
•Positively impact student outcomes
•Identify and promote effective instructional
practices
•Create opportunities for teachers to become
reflective practitioners
•Share research results with other educators
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014
Scope of Work
•Problem: Chronic Absenteeism
•Why important? All of us experience chronic
absenteeism in at least one or all sections we
teach.
•Who benefits from these resources? Students,
staff, parents, and community members
•How does this benefit the students? Increases time
in class.
•How does this benefit me? Increases the time with
your student.
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 1
Define the purpose of your study: The
purpose of this study is to determine the
impacts of an absenteeism intervention team
has upon chronic absenteeism in high school
agricultural education students at Wakefield
High School.
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 2
Describe your participants: Participants of
the study are high school agricultural education
students with three or more absences and who
have a history of absenteeism in previous
school years.
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 3
Define the variables: Ag Ed students 9th-12th
grade, absences, absence combat team "ATeam". The A-Team includes: 1 Ag Ed teacher,
1 Absence coordinator at Wakefield High
School, 1 WHS counselor, 1 community
member, parents or guardians of the absentee
student, the chronically absent student, peer
mentors (independent variables).
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 4
Develop your research questions.
•Will chronically absent students change their behaviors and attend
school when referred to the A-Team?
•Will chronically absent students change their feelings or opinions
regarding school after working with the A-Team?
•Will chronically absent students improve academically in Agricultural
Education?
•Will chronically absent students feel there are academic rewards
associated with the A-Team? Other extrinsic rewards?
• Will chronically absent students feel the work with the A-Team was a
generally beneficial experience?
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 5
Describe the Innovation or change you will
implement: The innovation is the
incorporation of an absence combat team (ATeam)or network of individuals working to
prevent future absenteeism.
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 6
Define your data collection and analysis
plan: Data collection will begin with
quantitative analysis of absence dates,
numbers, and general demographics of
chronically absent students. Additional
qualitative data will take place before and after
working with the A-Team.
P1: Action Research Plan
STEP 7
Develop a timeline:
September
Develop A-Team, identify students with previous chronic absenteeism,
students who exemplify risks take survey, meet with A-Team members
October
through
January
Begin monthly A-Team meetings, develop a system of positive
reinforcement, mentors contact absent students, monitor absenteeism, post
A-Team survey
February
Synthesize and analyze data
March through
April
Interpret data, present information, create a Wiki
May through
June
Disseminate action research plan on Wiki through GTN
My Data
•See my results here:
WHS Ag Ed A-Team: Absence Combat
•Use the yellow, green and blue tabs
•To find your data, access PowerTeacher and
Elements
Activity
•Let’s determine what your chronic absenteeism is
in your courses last semester.
•Answer the following questions:
1. How many of your students had 10 or more
absences?
2. What percentage of your students were
considered chronically absent?
3. How many of your chronically absent students
passed the Elements test?
Discussion
•Enter your data here: Wake County Chronic Absenteeism in
Ag Ed (pink tab)
•Discussion topics
1. Are you surpised by the school with the most
absences?
2. Were you aware of how many of your students
exhibit chronic absenteeism?
3. As a county PLT, how does this data help us better
understand our Elements scores?
4. What can we do to change chronic absenteeism?
Where do we start?
What is the
Governor’s Teacher Network?
Pathway 2 Teachers : Instructional Resources
– Create instructional sequences for Home
Base aligned to the NC Standard Course of
Study (unit plans, lesson plans, assessment
components).
– Produce resources available to all NC
teachers through Schoolnet in Home Base.
Instructional Sequences:
What are they?
•Carefully, intentionally designed units of study,
lessons, and balanced assessment components
•Instruction and assessment directly aligned to the
NC Standard Course of Study
•Resources and practices incorporating technology,
student interests and differentiated strategies
•Available to teachers in Schoolnet
References
• Spradlin, Terry; Cierniak, Katherine; Shi, Dingjing; Chen, Minge. (2012).
Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism in Indiana: The Impact on Student
Achievement. Education Policy Brief, Vol. 10 (3).
• Balfanz, Robert; Byrnes, Vaughan. (2012). The Importance of Being in School:
A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation's Public Schools. Education Digest:
Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, v78 n2, Oct, p4-9.
•Sanchez, Monika. (2012). Truancy and Chronic Absences in Redwood City.
Youth Data Archive Issue Brief. John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their
Communities.
• Sheldon, Steven B.; Epstein, Joyce L. (2004). Getting Students to School: Using
Family and Community Involvement to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism. School
Community Journal. V14 (2). Fall and Winter, p. 39-56.
• Maynard, Brandy; McCrea, Katherine; Piggott, Terri; Kelly, Michael. (2012).
Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance on Chronic
Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2012:10.
Questions
•Questions
Feedback
•Please leave feedback so I can improve.
•Tell me what you learned, did not learn or
wish you would have learned.
•Were you inspired? Do you still feel
desperate?
•Thank you!
•Chronic Absenteeism Feedback Survey
Conclusion of Presentation
•Thank you for your participation.
Contact Information:
Name: Jodi Riedel
School/District: Wakefield High School/Wake
Phone: 919-562-3600
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.wakefieldffa.com