Almost all Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD)
students have at least one excused absence in each year between
kindergarten and third grade, and roughly half of the students in each
grade experience at least one unexcused absence. Children with unexcused
absences fare far worse in school than those with excused absences, but
for the most part the differences in their learning outcomes are not
simply due to missing school.
The latest study released by the Madison Education Partnership (MEP) finds that absence patterns vary widely among student groups.
“Our data show that unexcused absences vary substantially by family income, race and ethnicity," states Eric Camburn, a co-director of MEP, WCER deputy director and a professor with the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. "Unexcused absences are more prevalent among African American students, Latinx students and students from low-income families.”
MEP reports that excused absences from school -– where schools have received a phone call from a parent or guardian and approved the reason for a student’s absence -– have little impact on the reading and math progress or socio-emotional learning gains of kindergarten through third-grade students in MMSD.
According to Eric Grodsky, a co-director of MEP and UW–Madison professor in sociology and educational policy studies, “These patterns matter, but not necessarily as a result of missing instruction. Unexcused absences may be more of a signal about other challenges facing these students, such as poverty, or a reflection of how schools respond to unexcused absences, rather than a cause itself of inequality in academic achievement.” If so, reducing absences may do little to improve student achievement.
The latest study released by the Madison Education Partnership (MEP) finds that absence patterns vary widely among student groups.
“Our data show that unexcused absences vary substantially by family income, race and ethnicity," states Eric Camburn, a co-director of MEP, WCER deputy director and a professor with the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. "Unexcused absences are more prevalent among African American students, Latinx students and students from low-income families.”
MEP reports that excused absences from school -– where schools have received a phone call from a parent or guardian and approved the reason for a student’s absence -– have little impact on the reading and math progress or socio-emotional learning gains of kindergarten through third-grade students in MMSD.
According to Eric Grodsky, a co-director of MEP and UW–Madison professor in sociology and educational policy studies, “These patterns matter, but not necessarily as a result of missing instruction. Unexcused absences may be more of a signal about other challenges facing these students, such as poverty, or a reflection of how schools respond to unexcused absences, rather than a cause itself of inequality in academic achievement.” If so, reducing absences may do little to improve student achievement.
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