Unexcused absences quadruple from eighth to ninth grade, explaining most of the drop in grades and pass rates across all student groups¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2014 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Students' unexcused absences quadruple between eighth and ninth grade, and this explains the vast majority of the large drop in grades and pass rates. → Stevens 2014 q3 i? The effort decline is observed among high- and low-achieving students, boys and girls, across all subjects, in high- and low-performing schools, and in every racial/ethnic group. → Stevens 2014 (2)

Evidence¶

Stevens 2014¶

Stevens, W. D., Allensworth, E. M., Pareja, A. S., de la Torre, M., Gwynne, J. A., Rosenkranz, T., & Sebastian, J. (2014). Free to Fail or On-Track to College: An Introduction to the UChicago CCSR Research Series. UChicago CCSR Research Brief. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/free-fail-or-track-college

q3 · i? · associational · r2

The Focus on Freshmen Study, following about 22,000 students from eighth grade (spring 2008) through ninth grade (2008-09), documented the transition decline. The brief reports "Students’ unexcused absences quadruple" and that this explains most of the drop in grades and pass rates.

"Students’ unexcused absences quadruple when they move from eighth to ninth grade, and this explains the vast majority of the large drop in grades and pass rates."

Stevens 2014 (2)¶

Stevens, W. D., Allensworth, E. M., Pareja, A. S., de la Torre, M., Gwynne, J. A., Rosenkranz, T., & Sebastian, J. (2014). Free to Fail or On-Track to College: An Introduction to the UChicago CCSR Research Series. UChicago CCSR Research Brief. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/free-fail-or-track-college

q3 · i? · associational · r2

The same district-wide record analysis found the effort and grade decline was universal across subgroups: "in every racial/ethnic group," among high- and low-achieving students, both genders, all subjects, and high- and low-performing schools. The brief argues this pattern indicates the school context plays a large role.

"This decline is observed among high- and low-achieving students, among boys and girls, across all subjects, in high-per -forming schools and low-performing schools, and in every racial/ethnic group."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Low attendance is linked with lower academic skills, grades, and high school graduation, and high attendance with higher ones — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Higher absence rates are the most important factor explaining why students with disabilities fail more courses and earn lower GPAs than students without identified disabilities — related
• Schools vary widely in attendance and cutting; in the ten worst-attendance schools the average ninth grader is an extreme truant in at least one major subject by second semester — related
• Students with weak eighth grade basic skills have the poorest attendance, but cutting is widespread even among top achievers (42 percent on or above grade level were moderate to extreme truants) — related
• Patterns of GPA decline varied widely across high schools, suggesting school environment plays an important role in the transition — related