Transforming Truancy

Exploring Factors and Strategies That Impact Truancy Among Youth

Gracie Kearse-McCastler

• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781645843115
• eBook ISBN: 9781645843122
• Topic: Didattica
• Subtopic: Teoria e pratica della didattica

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions of school administrators, teachers, and counselors from schools within the United States school districts regarding the most frequent internal and external factors affecting student truancy and effective intervention strategies to decrease truancy.Participants included administrators, teachers, and counselors from the United States school districts. An eighteen-statement Likert-scale survey with one open-ended question was administered to one hundred administrators, teachers, and counselors from school districts within the United States. Survey data were analyzed to determine factors that participants frequently perceived to influence student truancy. Survey results were analyzed to examine participants' perceptions of effective strategies for reducing truancy.The findings identified medical conditions, adolescent sex, and teenage pregnancy as the top three internal factors of concern. For external factors, personal problems, medical conditions, and bullying were the top three factors of concern. Medical conditions were a factor used in both internal and external factors and were in the top three areas of concern in both research questions. Three additional factors were identified as peer pressure, lack of motivation, and staying out late. The three intervention strategies supported by all teachers were before- or after-school tutoring, parental involvement, and a Parent Academy. Participants were in favor of all intervention attempts to reduce truancy within school systems in the United States.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Nationwide studies revealed that truancy is a common problem among youth (Epstein and Sheldon 2002; Houck, Hadley, Tolou-Shams, and Brown 2012). Research indicated that a student’s attitude toward school was the greatest critical factor in combating truancy; schools must be places where students want to attend rather than have to attend (Epstein and Sheldon 2002). Gullatt and Lemoine (1997) emphasized that educators must address truant behaviors early to prevent students from dropping out of school. Numerous studies have linked truancy to delinquent behaviors among youth (Gonzalez 2006; Henry and Huizinga 2007; Zhou, Puradiredja, and Abel 2015). Truancy has been associated with juvenile crimes, poor school performance, alcohol use, substance abuse, conduct disorders, gang activity, teen pregnancy, and defiant behaviors (Agnew and Brezina 2015; Attwood and Croll 2006; Dembo et al. 2013; Gonzalez, 2006).

Local school-district studies revealed an increase in truancy rates among students enrolled in elementary, middle, and high school (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014; Florida Department of Education Truancy Accountability Survey 2016). Using the data from the Blight Committee report, findings revealed 3,131 incidences of truancy in 2012–2013 and 3,058 incidences in 2013–2014 among local elementary, middle, and high-school students (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014). School-district-wide student-truancy data indicated 8,773 incidences in 2011–2012, 9,598 incidences in 2012–2013, 10,919 incidences in 2013–2014, and 10,161 incidences in 2014–2015 (Florida Department of Education Truancy Accountability Survey 2016).

Statement of the Problem

The problem was high-truancy rates existed in school districts in the United States. Student-truancy rates had also increased in the local school district since 2011. Results of truancy reports from local public elementary, middle, and high schools indicated that students demonstrated chronic truant behavior (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014; Florida Department of Education Truancy Accountability Survey 2016). Truancy was an issue of great concern to educators and community groups. (Freudenberg and Ruglis 2007; Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014).

At the time of the study, data had identified 12 local schools with chronic truancy problems from within the school district. The researcher divided the school district into four quadrants and determined which elementary, middle, and high school within the quadrant had the highest truancy rates. The schools with high percentages of truancy identified from the four quadrants of the school district were as follows: (a) eastern quadrant was Elementary School 1-E, with 59 truant students, Middle School 2-E, with 44 truant students, and High School 3-E, with 65 truant students; (b) western quadrant was Elementary School 4-W, with 75 truant students, Middle School 5-W, with 50 truant students, and High School 6-W, with 119 truant students (c) northern quadrant was Elementary School 7-N, with 36 truant students, Middle School 8-N, with 24 truant students, High School 9-N, with 66 truant students and (d) southern quadrant was Elementary School 10-S, with 360 truant students, Middle School 11-S, with 19 truant students and High School 12-S, with 188 truant students. The aforementioned data were used by the researcher as evidence of the problem.

Background and Justification

Early 21st-century research studies determined that truancy was a common problem among youth (Nichol Gase, DeFosset, Perry, and Kuo 2016; Van der Aa, Rebollo-Mesa, Willemsen, Boomsma, and Bartels 2009). Research also indicated that student truancy was associated with delinquent behaviors (Henry and Huizinga 2007; Zhou et al. 2015). Moreover, numerous studies reported effective intervention strategies promoted student attendance (Maynard, Tyson McCrea, Pigott, and Kelly 2013; Smink and Reimer 2005). At the local level, chronic student truancy had increased (Florida Department of Education Truancy Accountability Survey 2016; Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014).

A first step in reducing truancy was to examine the perceptions of 100 school administrations, teachers, and counselors from schools within the United States regarding the most frequent internal and external factors affecting student truancy and effective intervention strategies to decrease truancy within the schools. In response to the increase in student truancy and the potential risks associated with truant behavior, this research study was essential in the efforts to examine educators’ perceptions of truancy factors and effective intervention strategies to increase the cognizant level of truancy factors, effective intervention strategies necessary to minimize truant behaviors (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 2014; Freudenberg and Ruglis 2007).

Deficiencies in the Evidence

A substantial amount of research exists that links truancy to delinquent behaviors (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, Goldweber, and Johnson 2013; Hilliard et al. 2014; Virtanen, Lerkkanen, Poikkeus, and Kuroelahti 2014). Research studies found correlations between truancy and adolescent sex, teen pregnancy, alcohol use, substance abuse, psychosocial problems, bullying, and gang activity (Dembo et al. 2013; Gonzalez 2006; Havik, Bru, and Ertesvåg 2015). Studies indicated that innovative practices designed to reduce truancy were successful (Jones and Lovrich 2011; National Dropout Prevention Center/Network 2017).

Reducing truancy and the associated detrimental effects of truant behavior may positively impact students, families, educators, and communities (Jones and Lovrich 2011; National Dropout Prevention Center/Network 2017; Pianta, Hamre, and Allen 2012; Virtanen et al., 2014). Few researchers have explained the appropriateness of numerous strategies possible for the prevention and treatment of truancy despite the rising truancy rate and the many adverse effects to schools, families, and communities (Maynard, Salas-Wright, Vaughn, and Peters 2012).

Audience

This research study may be advantageous for all stakeholders. Administrators, counselors, and teachers may consider implementing strategies to encourage regular school attendance and programs to reduce delinquent, truant behaviors. Strategies to reduce the truancy rate may improve attendance, which may positively impact academic achievement. Furthermore, implementing strategies to reduce truancy may increase academic achievement, classroom instruction, and overall school climate (Olson 2014).

Additionally, parents may be addressed through the survey on effective intervention strategies. When students improve in attendance, school leaders should hold parent meetings to give them positive praise and feedback (Ara Malik, Ladhani, and Bhamani 2013). A mentor program supported by school staff and community leaders may create a positive means for welcoming students to school each day. School leaders may follow up on tardiness and absenteeism, with an effort to reduce challenges in getting to school each day on time (Chang et al. 2014). Developing a system of rewards can support increased academic achievement (Balfanz and Bynes 2012). Furthermore, before or after school, tutoring programs may be considered. Parents could benefit from an increased awareness of internal and external factors impacting truancy. It is effectual for administrators to inform parents during parent meetings on the importance of regular school attendance, factors that impact truancy, and effective strategies to reduce truant behavior. Finally, to transcend the school’s truancy issue, the school may epitomize a model school setting. Students may become acclimated to the essentiality of regular school attendance.

Definition of Terms

The following definitions represent an audience orientation to specific terminology used in implementing this study. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of school administrators, teachers, and staff members regarding the most frequent internal and external factors affecting student truancy and effective intervention strategies to decrease truancy.

Absenteeism. A habitual pattern of staying away from school or work is referred to as absenteeism.

External factors. Outside influences that can impact behavior are external factors.

Internal factors. Inner strengths and weaknesses that can impact behavior are internal factors.

Psychosocial. The definition of psychosocial is relating to psychological development within and interaction with others.

Truancy. A chronic pattern of unexcused absences is referred to as truancy (Nichol Gase et al. 2016).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of school administrators, teachers, and counselors within schools in the United States regarding the most frequent internal and external factors affecting student truancy and effective intervention strategies to decrease truancy.

In the next chapter, the literature related to student truancy is discussed, as it relates to internal and external factors. Effective intervention strategies and survey development are also reviewed. Chapter 2 concludes with a summary of the literature and the research questions that guided this study.

Chapter 2

Literature Review

Truancy

Truancy is considered a national problem among juveniles, families, the educational system, and the community (Jones and Lovrich 2011). Truancy is defined as a frequency in absence from school (Van der Aa et al., 2009) and an unauthorized absence from school (Nichol Gase et al. 2016). According to Jacob and Lovett (2017 July), chronic truancy is considered to be a hidden educational crisis. Approximately 14% of students were considered to be chronically absent nationwide, or in other words missing, about 18 school days annually. Students are considered chronically absent when 10% or more school days are missed within the school year. In some cities, the rates can be as high as 57.3% of students being considered chronically truant (Jacob and Lovett 2017 July).

A substantial amount of research exists that links truancy to delinquent behavior (Bradshaw et al. 2013; Hilliard et al....

Table of contents

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5