Utilizing an evidence-based improvement framework to tackle chronic absence

By Feifei Wang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Chronic absence, defined as missing 10% or more of school days per year for any reason, poses serious risks of adverse effects on student achievement and graduation rates. A recent report advocated for the use of an evidence-based improvement framework to reduce chronic absence by offering an example of how to use this framework to choose an attendance intervention that meets local needs.

The framework was rooted in a five-step improvement process: inform, select, plan, implement, and analyze. It emphasized the continuous nature of the process and its alignment with state and local goals. It highlighted the importance of initially understanding local needs through a thorough analysis and then identifying and choosing appropriate interventions.

A detailed example showcased the framework in action, illustrating how a school team might identify a need, such as engaging families to encourage attendance schoolwide. Then educators may identify evidence-based attendance interventions by using credible repositories, such as Evidence for ESSA. The Evidence for ESSA website describes the interventions, their outcomes, and considerations, including staffing, technology, cost, etc. By examining potential evidence-based strategies from the interventions, educators select the intervention, plan for implementation, carry out implementation, and analyze the effectiveness of the intervention in their local context.

In conclusion, the report emphasized the necessity of applying an evidence-based improvement framework to tackle chronic absence. It encouraged educators to meticulously assess their unique challenges and select interventions that are not only grounded in solid evidence but are also feasible and appropriate for their specific environments.