This document outlines an action research plan to improve school attendance rates at a high school. It discusses establishing an attendance team to identify students with high unexcused absence rates and intervene early through parent contact and education about attendance policies. The goal is to improve learning and graduation rates by reducing truancy. Background information provides the state attendance requirements and the school's current procedures for handling truant students. The methodology section describes dividing the attendance team into grade-level groups to contact parents of at-risk students by phone and letter about their child's absences.
DISCUSSION ISSUES ON DISPARITIES IN ACHIEVEMENTFatin Amira
This document discusses disparities in educational achievement between rural and urban students in Malaysia. It begins by providing context on the importance of education for economic development but notes ongoing issues with rural-urban performance gaps. The Malaysian government has invested heavily in education to improve rural student achievement and reduce these disparities. However, perceptions of inferior rural school performance persist. The document then examines some factors contributing to differences in academic achievement between rural and urban students, including family background/support, teacher quality, and school resources.
This document provides an inspection report for Bradley Green Community Primary School. It finds that the school has made outstanding improvements since the previous inspection and is now a good school. Pupils achieve well and standards are above average. The quality of pastoral care is exceptionally good and fosters pupils' well-being. Leadership at the school, particularly from the headteacher, has been exceptional in accelerating progress. While the school has many strengths, inspectors recommend providing more opportunities for developing pupils' narrative writing skills and using computers more in daily learning.
Good practice in re engaging disaffected and reluctant students in secondary ...Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes the findings of a survey of 29 secondary schools in England that were successful in re-engaging disaffected students. The survey found that these schools used several good practices, including establishing a supportive school ethos, closely monitoring at-risk students, providing individualized support, engaging parents, and offering a flexible curriculum. Of the over 4,000 disaffected students across these schools, 78% were successfully re-engaged in learning. Common barriers included lack of parental support, external negative influences, and weaknesses in school or community support services.
This document discusses trends and issues in education for mathematical sciences. It begins by noting the consensus that educating children is key to economic development, but that rural-urban disparities in education performance remain a problem in developing countries despite government efforts. The document then examines differences in academic achievement between rural and urban students in Malaysia. It identifies family factors like parental education levels and encouragement, as well as teacher quality as influencing rural student performance. Effective teachers are described as loving teaching, demonstrating care for students, and having strong content knowledge.
This inspection report finds St Mary's Catholic Primary School to be a good school. Almost all pupils make good progress from average starting points to achieve above average results by Year 6. Teaching is good overall and promotes pupils' spiritual, moral and social development well. Pupils enjoy school, behave well, and feel safe. Leadership is also judged to be good, with a strong focus on improving teaching quality further. While the school's performance is good, inspectors identify some areas for further development, such as ensuring the most able pupils are sufficiently challenged and strengthening data analysis to support school improvement.
This document is a letter from an Ofsted inspector to the headteacher of Southmead School regarding a short inspection of the school. The 3 main points are:
1. Southmead School continues to be rated as "good". Leadership has maintained quality of education and effectively deals with higher pupil mobility.
2. Leaders have developed strategies to improve writing and pupils' work shows high standards. They also provide support for disadvantaged pupils' progress.
3. Next steps include teachers providing more challenge to stretch the most able pupils in writing, and governors analyzing data more rigorously to fully understand the impact of initiatives.
This school inspection report finds that Blakehill Primary School is a good school. It summarizes that the school is led well and pupils behave well and feel safe. The quality of teaching is also good, resulting in pupils achieving good outcomes. The report provides some areas for further improvement, such as ensuring work is always sufficiently challenging, especially for the most able pupils.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCEOGWANGFELIX
This document is a research proposal that examines the relationship between parental involvement and academic performance among primary school pupils in Ayer Sub County, Kole District. It provides background information on the importance of education and parental involvement in influencing academic success. The study aims to determine how different aspects of parental involvement, such as parenting style, parental expectations, home rules, communication with teachers, and beliefs about education, impact pupils' academic performance. The research methodology will involve questionnaires administered to students to collect data, which will then be analyzed using SPSS. Ethical considerations for protecting participants will also be discussed.
DISCUSSION ISSUES ON DISPARITIES IN ACHIEVEMENTFatin Amira
This document discusses disparities in educational achievement between rural and urban students in Malaysia. It begins by providing context on the importance of education for economic development but notes ongoing issues with rural-urban performance gaps. The Malaysian government has invested heavily in education to improve rural student achievement and reduce these disparities. However, perceptions of inferior rural school performance persist. The document then examines some factors contributing to differences in academic achievement between rural and urban students, including family background/support, teacher quality, and school resources.
This document provides an inspection report for Bradley Green Community Primary School. It finds that the school has made outstanding improvements since the previous inspection and is now a good school. Pupils achieve well and standards are above average. The quality of pastoral care is exceptionally good and fosters pupils' well-being. Leadership at the school, particularly from the headteacher, has been exceptional in accelerating progress. While the school has many strengths, inspectors recommend providing more opportunities for developing pupils' narrative writing skills and using computers more in daily learning.
Good practice in re engaging disaffected and reluctant students in secondary ...Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes the findings of a survey of 29 secondary schools in England that were successful in re-engaging disaffected students. The survey found that these schools used several good practices, including establishing a supportive school ethos, closely monitoring at-risk students, providing individualized support, engaging parents, and offering a flexible curriculum. Of the over 4,000 disaffected students across these schools, 78% were successfully re-engaged in learning. Common barriers included lack of parental support, external negative influences, and weaknesses in school or community support services.
This document discusses trends and issues in education for mathematical sciences. It begins by noting the consensus that educating children is key to economic development, but that rural-urban disparities in education performance remain a problem in developing countries despite government efforts. The document then examines differences in academic achievement between rural and urban students in Malaysia. It identifies family factors like parental education levels and encouragement, as well as teacher quality as influencing rural student performance. Effective teachers are described as loving teaching, demonstrating care for students, and having strong content knowledge.
This inspection report finds St Mary's Catholic Primary School to be a good school. Almost all pupils make good progress from average starting points to achieve above average results by Year 6. Teaching is good overall and promotes pupils' spiritual, moral and social development well. Pupils enjoy school, behave well, and feel safe. Leadership is also judged to be good, with a strong focus on improving teaching quality further. While the school's performance is good, inspectors identify some areas for further development, such as ensuring the most able pupils are sufficiently challenged and strengthening data analysis to support school improvement.
This document is a letter from an Ofsted inspector to the headteacher of Southmead School regarding a short inspection of the school. The 3 main points are:
1. Southmead School continues to be rated as "good". Leadership has maintained quality of education and effectively deals with higher pupil mobility.
2. Leaders have developed strategies to improve writing and pupils' work shows high standards. They also provide support for disadvantaged pupils' progress.
3. Next steps include teachers providing more challenge to stretch the most able pupils in writing, and governors analyzing data more rigorously to fully understand the impact of initiatives.
This school inspection report finds that Blakehill Primary School is a good school. It summarizes that the school is led well and pupils behave well and feel safe. The quality of teaching is also good, resulting in pupils achieving good outcomes. The report provides some areas for further improvement, such as ensuring work is always sufficiently challenging, especially for the most able pupils.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCEOGWANGFELIX
This document is a research proposal that examines the relationship between parental involvement and academic performance among primary school pupils in Ayer Sub County, Kole District. It provides background information on the importance of education and parental involvement in influencing academic success. The study aims to determine how different aspects of parental involvement, such as parenting style, parental expectations, home rules, communication with teachers, and beliefs about education, impact pupils' academic performance. The research methodology will involve questionnaires administered to students to collect data, which will then be analyzed using SPSS. Ethical considerations for protecting participants will also be discussed.
The Level of Influence of Family-related factors on the Selected Tangub City ...Elton John Embodo
The document discusses the importance of parental involvement in a student's academic performance. It begins by outlining how education benefits society and that parents play a key role in socializing children to become productive members. The theoretical framework discusses social cognitive theory and how children learn behaviors from parents. Research has shown parental involvement is linked to higher achievement and that factors like parents' educational expectations and support with homework positively influence performance. The study aims to determine the level of influence of family-related factors like parents' learning support on students in different curriculums and between males and females at Tangub City National High School.
Engaged Parents, Engaged Students: Theory and Practice Ving
This document discusses the importance of parent engagement in education. It argues that parent involvement is crucial for student success and achievement, and that effective communication between teachers and parents is key. The document is divided into two parts: the first examines research showing the positive impact of teacher-parent communication on student outcomes. The second provides tips and techniques for teachers to create structured parent involvement programs and facilitate meaningful communication through various methods, including the use of technology.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Priory Community School. It was found to be an outstanding school in all areas inspected. Students of all abilities make excellent progress and enjoy their learning. Teaching is of a high standard and inspires students. Students' behavior is outstanding and they show respect for each other. Leadership of the school is also outstanding and focused on continual improvement. The broad curriculum and enrichment activities enable students to pursue their talents and interests.
1) The document discusses how parent involvement in a child's education can positively impact their academic performance. Studies show that higher levels of parent involvement are associated with higher test scores and grades.
2) There are many ways for parents to be involved, including attending school meetings and events, volunteering at the school, communicating with teachers, and helping with homework. Organizations like PTA aim to facilitate parent involvement.
3) When parents are not involved, due to factors like long work hours or family issues, students tend to perform worse in school. Overall, parent involvement is strongly encouraged, as it benefits students academically and socially.
ECJ_p34-41_4 Education-Engaging the disengagedLouise Kinnaird
This document discusses ways to engage disengaged students in learning. It begins by outlining some of the risks of disengagement, such as lower academic achievement and economic success. It then discusses that disengagement can stem from a combination of internal and external factors. The document provides data on the prevalence of disengagement in the UK. It discusses approaches schools have taken to reengage students, such as building relationships, improving teaching quality, using mentors, and adapting curriculum. Case studies highlight using leadership, working with parents, giving students responsibility, and incorporating arts. The document concludes that high-quality teaching and leadership are especially important for reengaging disengaged students.
Parental involvement in education has been shown to have significant benefits for students, parents, teachers, and schools. When parents are actively engaged in supporting their child's education through activities like attending school events, volunteering, communicating with teachers, and assisting with homework, students tend to have higher academic achievement, better attendance, and more positive behavior and attitudes. The benefits of parental involvement extend throughout a child's educational career from elementary school through high school. While all forms of involvement are important, research indicates that involvement focused on assisting with homework assignments can have especially strong and long-lasting positive impacts on student learning and achievement.
Education100 effects of home environmentliuxiaocome
This document discusses the effects of the home environment on student learning. It argues that parents play a crucial role in their children's education, as children spend most of their time outside of school influenced by their home and parents. The document notes that parental involvement is linked to higher student achievement, better attitudes towards school, and the development of good learning skills in children. It encourages parents to recognize the significant impact they can have by actively supporting their child's education.
This inspection found Samworth Church Academy to be a good school that has improved rapidly since the previous inspection. The summary highlights that:
1) Student achievement has improved, with good progress now being made across most subjects including English and math.
2) Teaching quality has strengthened significantly due to leaders effectively sharing expertise through school partnerships.
3) However, the sixth form requires improvement as courses do not fully meet student interests and abilities.
Level of Influence of Parental Involvement on the Selected Tangub City Nation...Elton John Embodo
This document provides background information on the role of parental involvement in children's academic achievement. It discusses previous research showing that greater parental involvement is linked to better academic performance. The study aims to determine the level of influence of parental involvement on students in different curricula and between males and females. It describes the theoretical framework of social cognitive theory and how parental modeling can impact children's views of education. The methodology section outlines the descriptive research design that will be used to collect and analyze data on parental involvement levels.
This document discusses the coping mechanisms of children with parents who work overseas in public elementary schools in Batangas City, Philippines. It begins by introducing the problem, noting that these children may experience academic, social, or emotional difficulties due to the absence of their parents. The study aims to identify the coping mechanisms used by these children and problems they encounter. It also seeks to determine if there are relationships between teacher and student responses, and provide suggestions for teachers to help students facing challenges. The document scopes the study to intermediate students and teachers in public elementary schools in West District, Batangas City. It argues the research will benefit schools, teachers, counselors, parents, students, and future researchers by increasing understanding of students' experiences
Parental involvement as a determinant of academic performance of gifted under...Alexander Decker
1) The study investigated the role of parental involvement in enhancing the academic performance of underachieving gifted students in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.
2) A questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data from 100 randomly selected underachieving gifted students, ranging from ages 17-19.
3) The findings showed that there were no significant differences in academic performance between students with single vs dual parents, students whose parents live in urban vs rural areas, and students whose parents have low vs high socioeconomic status.
Increasing Parent and Teacher Involvement: Employing Research Discoveries to ...Bilinguistics
Involving caregivers and teachers in the therapeutic process is a major component of successful therapy. However, social, familial, personal, and environmental factors can make caregiver and teacher involvement difficult.
In this course we identify the benefits of family involvement and will then provide five research-based strategies for how to improve our interactions with families and teachers. We refer to the strategies as SMILE (Sign, Model, Imitate, Label, and Expand). These strategies have been found to improve communication skills in young children. We will define the SMILE strategies, provide the rationale behind them, and demonstrate how to implement the strategies when serving an early-childhood population.
[1 7]home environment, mental health and academic achievement among hr. secon...Alexander Decker
This study investigated the impact of home environment and academic achievement on the mental health of 300 12th grade students in India, 150 female and 150 male. Data was collected using a Home Environment Inventory and Mental Health Battery. Results showed that the mean mental health score of girls (74.76) was higher than boys (70.76). The study also aimed to determine if there were significant differences in mental health between students from good vs poor home environments, high vs low academic achievement, and interactions between sex, home environment, and academic achievement. The introduction provided background on factors that influence mental health and the importance of home environment and parental involvement on students' mental and academic success.
Increased parent involvement leads to higher student achievement. Research shows that the amount of time parents spend reading with their children before kindergarten makes a significant impact, with children from low-income families being read to on average 25 hours compared to 1,700 hours for middle-income families. Schools and parents need to work together, with schools focusing on teaching core subjects and parents focusing on developing character. Providing learning resources at home, turning daily activities into learning opportunities, and making parents feel welcome at school are important for increasing parent involvement.
Family involvement in a child's education takes many forms and can positively impact student achievement and school performance. It includes activities families do at home to support learning as well as volunteering at the school. Research shows increased student grades, attendance, and social skills when parents are involved. Both schools and parents must work to maintain involvement as children progress through their academic careers. The benefits of parent involvement include extra support in the classroom, improved communication between home and school, and showing children that education is a priority.
A toolkit for principals, teachers and parents about doing what matters most.
Everything you need is in this toolkit: clear and easy instructions; separate handouts for principals, teachers and parents; and the research evidence you need to convince everyone this is worthwhile!
5th Annual Conf. | Measuring what we valueWholeeducation
The document summarizes findings from Ofsted reports on PSHE education in schools. It found strong correlations between schools rated highly for overall effectiveness and those rated highly for PSHE education. Schools with good PSHE programs saw pupils develop strong personal and social skills, independence, and pride in their school. However, many teachers lacked training in teaching sensitive PSHE topics, and leadership and management of PSHE required improvement in many schools. When done well, PSHE education supports pupils' achievement and development.
The document discusses the importance of parent involvement in promoting student achievement. It provides information from four credible sources that find parental involvement positively impacts students' academic performance, behavior, attendance, and social-emotional development. The sources outline how involvement can include parenting skills, communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and community collaboration. While parent involvement benefits students generally, the document notes some research questioning whether approaches are equally effective across all cultural and socioeconomic groups.
The document discusses best practices for creating effective schools that promote student connectedness. It describes three elements that contribute to student connectedness: interpersonal connectedness with teachers and peers, a safe and engaging learning environment, and academic engagement. It provides strategies schools and teachers can use to strengthen each of these elements, such as creating mentorship programs, implementing positive behavior programs, differentiating instruction, and setting high academic standards. The document also highlights several evidence-based programs that integrate these best practices, such as First Things First, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and Advancement Via Individual Determination.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Philip Morant School and College. The inspection judged the school to be good overall, finding that leadership, behaviour, teaching quality, and pupil achievement were also good. Some areas for further improvement were identified, such as increasing progress in maths and science, and ensuring all teachers provide targeted feedback and activities to support all pupils' learning. The report provides details of the inspection process and evaluates various aspects of the school's performance.
Attendance and student performance arp (1)Cindy Paynter
The document presents research on the relationship between student attendance and academic performance. It finds that students with higher absenteeism, defined as missing 18 or more days of school, performed at lower levels on standardized tests than students who missed 7 or fewer days. Specifically, higher percentages of chronically absent students scored at the novice level in science and social studies assessments compared to their regularly attending peers. The author concludes that attendance impacts student achievement and that the school needs to implement strategies to improve attendance in order to help more students succeed academically.
The Level of Influence of Family-related factors on the Selected Tangub City ...Elton John Embodo
The document discusses the importance of parental involvement in a student's academic performance. It begins by outlining how education benefits society and that parents play a key role in socializing children to become productive members. The theoretical framework discusses social cognitive theory and how children learn behaviors from parents. Research has shown parental involvement is linked to higher achievement and that factors like parents' educational expectations and support with homework positively influence performance. The study aims to determine the level of influence of family-related factors like parents' learning support on students in different curriculums and between males and females at Tangub City National High School.
Engaged Parents, Engaged Students: Theory and Practice Ving
This document discusses the importance of parent engagement in education. It argues that parent involvement is crucial for student success and achievement, and that effective communication between teachers and parents is key. The document is divided into two parts: the first examines research showing the positive impact of teacher-parent communication on student outcomes. The second provides tips and techniques for teachers to create structured parent involvement programs and facilitate meaningful communication through various methods, including the use of technology.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Priory Community School. It was found to be an outstanding school in all areas inspected. Students of all abilities make excellent progress and enjoy their learning. Teaching is of a high standard and inspires students. Students' behavior is outstanding and they show respect for each other. Leadership of the school is also outstanding and focused on continual improvement. The broad curriculum and enrichment activities enable students to pursue their talents and interests.
1) The document discusses how parent involvement in a child's education can positively impact their academic performance. Studies show that higher levels of parent involvement are associated with higher test scores and grades.
2) There are many ways for parents to be involved, including attending school meetings and events, volunteering at the school, communicating with teachers, and helping with homework. Organizations like PTA aim to facilitate parent involvement.
3) When parents are not involved, due to factors like long work hours or family issues, students tend to perform worse in school. Overall, parent involvement is strongly encouraged, as it benefits students academically and socially.
ECJ_p34-41_4 Education-Engaging the disengagedLouise Kinnaird
This document discusses ways to engage disengaged students in learning. It begins by outlining some of the risks of disengagement, such as lower academic achievement and economic success. It then discusses that disengagement can stem from a combination of internal and external factors. The document provides data on the prevalence of disengagement in the UK. It discusses approaches schools have taken to reengage students, such as building relationships, improving teaching quality, using mentors, and adapting curriculum. Case studies highlight using leadership, working with parents, giving students responsibility, and incorporating arts. The document concludes that high-quality teaching and leadership are especially important for reengaging disengaged students.
Parental involvement in education has been shown to have significant benefits for students, parents, teachers, and schools. When parents are actively engaged in supporting their child's education through activities like attending school events, volunteering, communicating with teachers, and assisting with homework, students tend to have higher academic achievement, better attendance, and more positive behavior and attitudes. The benefits of parental involvement extend throughout a child's educational career from elementary school through high school. While all forms of involvement are important, research indicates that involvement focused on assisting with homework assignments can have especially strong and long-lasting positive impacts on student learning and achievement.
Education100 effects of home environmentliuxiaocome
This document discusses the effects of the home environment on student learning. It argues that parents play a crucial role in their children's education, as children spend most of their time outside of school influenced by their home and parents. The document notes that parental involvement is linked to higher student achievement, better attitudes towards school, and the development of good learning skills in children. It encourages parents to recognize the significant impact they can have by actively supporting their child's education.
This inspection found Samworth Church Academy to be a good school that has improved rapidly since the previous inspection. The summary highlights that:
1) Student achievement has improved, with good progress now being made across most subjects including English and math.
2) Teaching quality has strengthened significantly due to leaders effectively sharing expertise through school partnerships.
3) However, the sixth form requires improvement as courses do not fully meet student interests and abilities.
Level of Influence of Parental Involvement on the Selected Tangub City Nation...Elton John Embodo
This document provides background information on the role of parental involvement in children's academic achievement. It discusses previous research showing that greater parental involvement is linked to better academic performance. The study aims to determine the level of influence of parental involvement on students in different curricula and between males and females. It describes the theoretical framework of social cognitive theory and how parental modeling can impact children's views of education. The methodology section outlines the descriptive research design that will be used to collect and analyze data on parental involvement levels.
This document discusses the coping mechanisms of children with parents who work overseas in public elementary schools in Batangas City, Philippines. It begins by introducing the problem, noting that these children may experience academic, social, or emotional difficulties due to the absence of their parents. The study aims to identify the coping mechanisms used by these children and problems they encounter. It also seeks to determine if there are relationships between teacher and student responses, and provide suggestions for teachers to help students facing challenges. The document scopes the study to intermediate students and teachers in public elementary schools in West District, Batangas City. It argues the research will benefit schools, teachers, counselors, parents, students, and future researchers by increasing understanding of students' experiences
Parental involvement as a determinant of academic performance of gifted under...Alexander Decker
1) The study investigated the role of parental involvement in enhancing the academic performance of underachieving gifted students in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.
2) A questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data from 100 randomly selected underachieving gifted students, ranging from ages 17-19.
3) The findings showed that there were no significant differences in academic performance between students with single vs dual parents, students whose parents live in urban vs rural areas, and students whose parents have low vs high socioeconomic status.
Increasing Parent and Teacher Involvement: Employing Research Discoveries to ...Bilinguistics
Involving caregivers and teachers in the therapeutic process is a major component of successful therapy. However, social, familial, personal, and environmental factors can make caregiver and teacher involvement difficult.
In this course we identify the benefits of family involvement and will then provide five research-based strategies for how to improve our interactions with families and teachers. We refer to the strategies as SMILE (Sign, Model, Imitate, Label, and Expand). These strategies have been found to improve communication skills in young children. We will define the SMILE strategies, provide the rationale behind them, and demonstrate how to implement the strategies when serving an early-childhood population.
[1 7]home environment, mental health and academic achievement among hr. secon...Alexander Decker
This study investigated the impact of home environment and academic achievement on the mental health of 300 12th grade students in India, 150 female and 150 male. Data was collected using a Home Environment Inventory and Mental Health Battery. Results showed that the mean mental health score of girls (74.76) was higher than boys (70.76). The study also aimed to determine if there were significant differences in mental health between students from good vs poor home environments, high vs low academic achievement, and interactions between sex, home environment, and academic achievement. The introduction provided background on factors that influence mental health and the importance of home environment and parental involvement on students' mental and academic success.
Increased parent involvement leads to higher student achievement. Research shows that the amount of time parents spend reading with their children before kindergarten makes a significant impact, with children from low-income families being read to on average 25 hours compared to 1,700 hours for middle-income families. Schools and parents need to work together, with schools focusing on teaching core subjects and parents focusing on developing character. Providing learning resources at home, turning daily activities into learning opportunities, and making parents feel welcome at school are important for increasing parent involvement.
Family involvement in a child's education takes many forms and can positively impact student achievement and school performance. It includes activities families do at home to support learning as well as volunteering at the school. Research shows increased student grades, attendance, and social skills when parents are involved. Both schools and parents must work to maintain involvement as children progress through their academic careers. The benefits of parent involvement include extra support in the classroom, improved communication between home and school, and showing children that education is a priority.
A toolkit for principals, teachers and parents about doing what matters most.
Everything you need is in this toolkit: clear and easy instructions; separate handouts for principals, teachers and parents; and the research evidence you need to convince everyone this is worthwhile!
5th Annual Conf. | Measuring what we valueWholeeducation
The document summarizes findings from Ofsted reports on PSHE education in schools. It found strong correlations between schools rated highly for overall effectiveness and those rated highly for PSHE education. Schools with good PSHE programs saw pupils develop strong personal and social skills, independence, and pride in their school. However, many teachers lacked training in teaching sensitive PSHE topics, and leadership and management of PSHE required improvement in many schools. When done well, PSHE education supports pupils' achievement and development.
The document discusses the importance of parent involvement in promoting student achievement. It provides information from four credible sources that find parental involvement positively impacts students' academic performance, behavior, attendance, and social-emotional development. The sources outline how involvement can include parenting skills, communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and community collaboration. While parent involvement benefits students generally, the document notes some research questioning whether approaches are equally effective across all cultural and socioeconomic groups.
The document discusses best practices for creating effective schools that promote student connectedness. It describes three elements that contribute to student connectedness: interpersonal connectedness with teachers and peers, a safe and engaging learning environment, and academic engagement. It provides strategies schools and teachers can use to strengthen each of these elements, such as creating mentorship programs, implementing positive behavior programs, differentiating instruction, and setting high academic standards. The document also highlights several evidence-based programs that integrate these best practices, such as First Things First, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and Advancement Via Individual Determination.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Philip Morant School and College. The inspection judged the school to be good overall, finding that leadership, behaviour, teaching quality, and pupil achievement were also good. Some areas for further improvement were identified, such as increasing progress in maths and science, and ensuring all teachers provide targeted feedback and activities to support all pupils' learning. The report provides details of the inspection process and evaluates various aspects of the school's performance.
Attendance and student performance arp (1)Cindy Paynter
The document presents research on the relationship between student attendance and academic performance. It finds that students with higher absenteeism, defined as missing 18 or more days of school, performed at lower levels on standardized tests than students who missed 7 or fewer days. Specifically, higher percentages of chronically absent students scored at the novice level in science and social studies assessments compared to their regularly attending peers. The author concludes that attendance impacts student achievement and that the school needs to implement strategies to improve attendance in order to help more students succeed academically.
This research proposal aims to investigate accountability in schools by developing better student discipline and management. It will examine the role of teachers and administrators in implementing accountability measures and their impact on student behavior and academic performance. The proposal will analyze accountability guidelines in light of the No Child Left Behind Act's emphasis on teacher quality. It will assess how accountability interventions can generate attention to teaching/learning, motivate educators to improve strategies, develop skills to interpret information appropriately, and allocate resources effectively. The literature review discusses research showing teachers have the largest impact on student learning and the expectations of NCLB in raising standards, assessments, accountability, and parental choice. Charter schools often give principals more flexibility over hiring and pay which allows recruiting more qualified teachers.
Ryedale School Local Authority Report 2015Gareth Jenkins
- The local authority conducted a review of Ryedale School over two days in September 2015. They observed lessons, met with school leaders and students, and reviewed documentation.
- The review found that Ryedale School's overall effectiveness is outstanding. Student achievement is consistently above national averages and all student groups make rapid progress. Teaching is of a high quality across the school.
- Leadership and management at the school is also outstanding. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has created a culture of high expectations. Governors hold the school accountable and ensure high quality governance.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) aims to improve education by holding teachers accountable, empowering parents, and ensuring all students achieve academic standards. It requires teachers to be highly qualified and uses testing to monitor student progress and teacher performance. Supporters believe NCLB benefits students and communities by providing oversight of schools and allowing progress tracking. However, critics argue it has increased academic competitiveness and raised graduation requirements to an unreasonably difficult level. The act also demands teachers use data from student assessments to inform instructional decisions and continuously evaluate and modify their teaching methods to address learning needs.
This school inspection report finds that Blakehill Primary School is a good school. It summarizes that the school is led well and pupils behave well and feel safe. The quality of teaching is also good, resulting in pupils achieving good outcomes. The report provides some areas for further improvement, such as ensuring work is always sufficiently challenging, especially for the most able pupils.
This school inspection report finds that Blakehill Primary School is a good school. It summarizes that the school is led well and pupils behave well and feel safe. The quality of teaching is also good, resulting in pupils achieving good outcomes. The report provides some areas for further improvement, such as ensuring work is always sufficiently challenging, especially for the most able pupils.
This school inspection report finds that Blakehill Primary School is a good school with the following key strengths:
1) Pupil achievement is good and attainment is above average. All groups of pupils make good progress.
2) Teaching is good and pupils find their learning interesting through activities like visits and special events.
3) Pupils' behaviour, safety, and development are strengths. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive.
However, the report notes that teaching could be improved by providing more challenging work, especially for the most able pupils, and by better directing teaching assistants to support learning.
1Running Head DATA GATHERINGS AND INTERVIEWS11DATA GATHER.docxdrennanmicah
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Running Head: DATA GATHERINGS AND INTERVIEWS
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DATA GATHERINGS AND INTERVIEWS
Data Gathering and Interviews
Introduction
School improvement has important on schools, which are low-performing schools where the whole school should be turned toward another path. There are changes of ways and that a school can do with school improvement. Instructors, administrators, and parents are to set objectives to assist the school with improving each year on an institutionalize test and other test to contrast them and others school presentations. With the No Child Left behind Act in 2002 it expects leaders to take a gander at each child as people and as gatherings and not exactly at the aggregate school, making the act of ceaseless improvement for all students. Be that as it may, this Act has change and called Every Student Succeeds Act, it enable schools for more important adaptability to decide best interventions and improvement activities. For school improvement, information should be gathered to distinguish shortcoming and the qualities of a specific school. Instructors, staff, administrators and parents are partners they thought of a school improvement intend to upgrade student accomplishment in the classroom and to prepare instructional procedures for persuasive getting ready for school improvement.
School Reform
For a long time training, leaders have been pushing onto school regions school changes that don't hint at any working while at the same time giving short shrift to those that have a reputation of working. In the classroom there are such a large number of weaknesses and basic leadership that can be considered to improve student accomplishment and to help school improvement. School change or school upgrades results should be changed. Among a meeting with the standard of WASC team, they expressed that school improvement or school change is followed up on the coordinated effort on administrators, teachers, parents and students. Specialist assumes a critical job in the school. There are a few schools with various socioeconomics that can influence different results. Schools that demonstrated achievement grasps fundamental help and these backings are:
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Leadership-Everyone in the school is a leader. An educator is the leader in the classroom. Parents are leaders at home and administrators are the leaders of an explicit school. Guideline sorted out their staffs and their locale resources in help of student learning. Whatever the guideline needs the school pursues, here and there initiative can be a reason for miscommunication, and they will simply accumulate information from educators and guardians yet they do not want to do with that information.
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Improved people group ties the standard and school staff examines out and made school additionally inviting for parents and made connects to other network establishments. In an instruction framework the mission of the school isn't just done in the classrooms and the school itself. They need to als.
Academic Achievement of Adolescents In Relation To Parental Encouragementiosrjce
This Study examines the Academic Achievement of Adolescence and Parental encouragement, the
encouragement support exerts most direct influence upon the acquisition of academic achievement. This study
explored the extent to which the parental encouragement has relation with academic achievement among school
students. Parents play a key role in shaping students achievement. Family factors such as parent’s level of
education, Parental expectations and parental support for their children seem to extent some influences on
adolescents academic achievement. Parents play an important role in educational motivation of their children.
They provide necessary facilities and educational environment which results is better performance in school.
Parents approve and appreciate activities related to education and remove any difficult felt by their wards. This
type of behavior of Parents is known as parental encouragement. In other wards parental encouragement
refers to the guidance, communication and interest shown by the parents to promote their wards progress in
school.
The school purposes in curriculum developmentMica Navarro
This document discusses different levels and types of educational objectives. It defines objectives as specific, measurable targets that advance a school towards its goals. Objectives are categorized into three domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The cognitive domain involves thought processes like knowledge, comprehension, and evaluation. The affective domain relates to values, attitudes, and appreciation. The psychomotor domain refers to physical skills. Educational objectives must be specific, observable, and able to verify achievement within a given timeframe and conditions.
This document summarizes a peer facilitation program proposed for implementation at Saint Louis University Laboratory High School to address shifting attitudes and values among students. The program aims to empower students socially, emotionally, and academically through peer-led seminars, workshops, and community activities. Selected high-achieving student peer facilitators would undergo training and lead sessions on topics like self-awareness, parenting, study skills, discipline, and careers. Program goals include developing students' initiative, responsibility, and positive relationships with family, peers, and community. Effectiveness will be evaluated through student and teacher feedback. The school is recommended to strengthen guidance services and teacher development to fully support the program.
Developing healthy interaction and relations among the students of grade 7 th...AtifAli511922
This document provides details about a research project conducted to develop healthy interaction and relations among 7th grade students through positive reinforcement. The research was conducted at GMS Painda Kandaro school in Malakand district. 46 7th grade teachers from the school participated in the study. Data was collected through questionnaires to understand current interaction levels and identify areas for improvement. The goal was to help students build better relationships with each other and their elders through positive reinforcement techniques applied by teachers.
The document outlines Jones Paideia Family Engagement Plan for the 2014-2015 school year. It provides background on the school, which serves a primarily low-income African American community. The plan aims to effectively communicate with parents, provide opportunities for parent input, and support English Language Learner families. Key goals include communication through various means, decision-making partnerships, and community involvement. An assessment plan is also outlined to evaluate parent involvement, relationships, and engagement effectiveness.
1. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Action Research in the E-learning Environment
Improving School Attendance
Performance Learning System
Wilkes University
Joy Grandi
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2. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Abstract
It is the commitment of any school to ensure all students are successful in reaching their
personal and academic potential. This requires a student to be in school and ready to
learn. School attendance standards are set by Pennsylvania Department of Education for
all students in the state. Some high school students do not comply with this standard and
are not on target for the stated allotment of unexcused days permitted by the state and are
considered truant. It is my goal to raise the attendance rate of these students through
targeted intervention and strategies. This will take a team effort from several staff
personnel and family members of the students. This plan outlines the attendance policy,
interventions for students who are truant and the conclusion of my research. At the end of
this research plan, I hope to increase attendance for this group of students and improve
learning and success.
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3. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Introduction
Both Common sense and vast amounts of research conclude that student attendance is
critical to educational success. Students with severe attendance issues are unlikely to
graduate from high school. The Pennsylvania Department of Education set standards for
attendance and Yough School District abides by the standards set for student success in
our state. In fact, the mission statement of Yough School District is as follows: “Our
mission is to provide all students with a 21st
Century Learning Experience in a
collaborative and supportive environment”. Through shared values of the district, it is
seen that the district is committed to knowing that all students can learn, it believes, but
not limited to that all decision making be in the best interest of the student, to provide a
life-long learning environment and be a shared responsibility between the district, the
parents and the community. (Yough) At our high school, some students are not meeting
the attendance requirement and have become truant. This affects student grade level
requirement, education and social growth, which leads to attendance meetings, court
hearings, fines, the intervention of state agencies to mandate school attendance at an
alternative placement and the possibility of dropping out of school.
Within the last few years, our school district has developed a list of shared values which
corresponds with our district’s vision statement that “Our vision is to maximize student
experiences and opportunities that will inspire individuality, innovation and perseverance
making possibilities limitless.” One of those values is that all students are provided with
a personalized experience. Research shows that students do better in school when given
personal attention from teachers. As a district this year, we are prioritizing to strive to
make a difference in students’ lives through teaching and also through interactions. I have
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4. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
made a point to do this in my classes since the beginning of the year. I ask students how
their day is going, and details about extra-curricular activities. I will encourage students
by finding the good things that they do in class each day and tell them either during class
or at the end of the class. I have found that despite the fact that we are told that students
want to be private when their lives are concerned, love that I ask them questions, praise
and show concerned for their well-being. Though this practice, I have found improved
relationships with students as well as the students’ desire to do what I ask and in the
process, improve learning. This finding is important to the improvement or learning and
relationships. We, as a faculty are modeling life-long learning and positive interactions.
So far, the impact on my students is a positive one. I have earned trust, show the students
that I care and have increased student motivation to learn.
The focus of this research paper is responding to the questions, “What can I do to
improve student attendance and learning? What are some of the factors that cause
students to not want to come to school? A number of sub-questions were also identified
to support the research conducted. Why isn’t the student coming to school? How do
health concerns for the student or a close family member impact attendance? What are
the environmental concerns for the family? What makes a students come late to school or
not at all? What are the feelings in the student when he is not in school? How can I
encourage the students to be in school? I want to make learning meaningful and relevant
to my students so that it becomes life long learning skills. McNiff states, “As a self
reflective practitioner you need to be aware of what drives your life and work, so you can
be clear about what you are doing and why you are doing it. You might need to spend
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5. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
time clarifying for yourself the kinds of values and commitments you hold”. (McNiff, pg.
29) Not only do I want to improve learning for my students in this most effective plan, I
also want to model for my students a plan that could allow them to make changes for
their future. Through my research, I hope to improve student attendance for students at
my high school and essentially improve learning.
Background
Attendance is mandatory for students in all public schools. The Pennsylvania Department
of Education student attendance policy states that a student must not miss more that 10
unexcused days of school if under the age of 17. If over the age of 17 the number of
unexcused school days is 20. (PA department of education) Truancy actions range from
loss of credit to imposed fines, which is determined by individual school districts.
Student learning is negatively affected by not being in school, which could affect possible
future careers and career choices. Finally, the school districted is affected in their annual
grade from the state when looking at school attendance, for Pennsylvania has set a
graduation rate at 95%. Sometimes students don’t think people are noticing that they are
missing a lot of school until it gets to the point of denial of credit and fines. In my school,
we are trying to pay attention to the students who are over what we consider “target” for
truancy. This is over the percentage of unexcused days of absence when averaging the
absent days over the school year. In the past, interventions have been in place for
unexcused absences, which includes the district’s attendance officer’s intervention. This
procedure begins after the 8th
day of unexcused absences, the attendance officer will call
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home and send a letter. At day 10 of unexcused absences, the procedure is repeated again.
When the student misses over the 10-day limit, a certified letter is sent home detailing
this information along with a need for an attendance meeting involving the parent,
attendance officer, guidance counselor, principal and student. At this time, denial of
credit for semester courses are discussed and a plan of action for attendance created. At
this point, the staff hopes the student will begin to improve attendance. This seems to
help some students, but there are still a large percentage of students missing over the 10-
day limit. Our school desires to change this and keep students on target with truancy by
identifying the student early and providing interventions and reinforcements to improve
attendance.
By October 15, 2014, of the 735 students in the high school, 33% of the seniors were on
target for truancy, followed by 20% of the juniors, 11% of the sophomores and 6% of the
freshmen. These identified students totaled over 8 days unexcused absences. Our school
found this percentage unacceptable. The SAP team (Student Assistance Program) in our
school has formed an attendance team and designated every other SAP meeting as an
attendance meeting, focusing on truancy. By working as a team, the goal is to improve
attendance and student success. The attendance team is working closely with the student
and family to determine the needs for improved school attendance. Communication is of
utmost concern between all parties, identifying reasons the student is not in school,
educating students and family of the attendance policy and the consequences of being
truant. If warranted, the identified students can then be supported by other services
offered at the school and through the SAP team.
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Since November 1, student attendance reports have been run and distributed to the newly-
developed attendance team staff. The team has been divided into four grade levels. Then
each grade level team identified the students that are not on target with unexcused
absences. The parent of each student was notified by phone (script appendix A) or voice
mail. If the parent could not be reached, a letter was sent home to the parent. (Appendix
B) This action was repeated four times between Oct 28 and Dec 23, 2014. The goal of the
attendance team was to connect with the parents, make them aware of the unexcused
absences and educate the parent on the truancy procedure.
Methodology
Participants
An attendance team was initiated through the SAP (Student Assistance Team) team and
comprised of the following twelve members, two administrators, one school nurse, two
guidance counselors, one attendance officer and four teachers. One office secretary
receives and files student excuses and may be necessary in this plan. Students who are
not on target with unexcused absences will be identified as participants, as well as their
parent’s, with their contribution and interaction in this matter. At the beginning of this
study 70 students were identified with over 10 days truant. They and their parents will
participate in this action plan.
Materials and procedures
Student attendance will be followed on Powerschool, the attendance and grade portal
available to administration, staff, students and parents. The attendance team will be
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utilizing computer laptops to document attendance progression thorough out this
research. Letters and envelopes will be used for mailings to parents to keep them abreast
of attendance information. The copier and copy paper will be utilized for paper copying.
High school building phones and offices were used to call parents and meet with
students. A notebook binder holds the data collected during the interview. Finally, district
computer laptops were used to complete student survey and document data.
Ethical considerations were addressed in all aspects of this research project. Permission
was obtained from the building principal, staff, identified students and parents.
Anonymity was maintained throughout this plan, from collection of information and
individual to evaluation of data. Participation is voluntary and participants can opt out at
any time. The participants and parents were provided a clear description of the research
plan letter of participation. (Appendix C)
Data Sources
Data was collected from several sources including surveys, observations through one-on-
one meetings and Powerschool, our portal used for district grades and attendance.
Through Powerschool, customized attendance reports can be created to form the
identified students on target for truancy with over targeted unexcused absences.
Participants were invited to complete a survey (Appendix d) during the face-to-face
interview, providing information on absences. The survey included 2 multiple choice
answers, one requiring a response and one list that requires a student to check those
responses that apply. The interview protocol (appendix E) was utilized to gain
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information and verify the days truant. Reviewed through this data were any historical
attendance reports of the student or siblings/families. The school nurse was a benefit to
the team for any health concerns and limitations that need addressed. Guidance provided
information of services, and family issues, 504 plans and other historical data that may be
necessary. The two special education teachers on the team provided concerns of special
needs and disabilities. The secretary in the building keeps files of all excuses the students
bring to school and these are made available to the attendance team when there was a
question. The attendance officer will run current reports every other week to keep track
of present attendance rates and truancy. The attendance team meets for each grade level
to determine which students are over the target number of truancy days. Presently, I am
involved with the senior attendance team, and truancy at this point of the school year
(January 20) is set at 10 days. Prior to our first interview meeting with the students, our
school district created and sent home a brochure to each family detailing the importance
of school attendance for academic success.
Interview Procedure
The first meeting occurred January 20 with each student was a face-to-face interview.
First, each student completed the survey via laptop in my presence. The state regulations
were explained to the student and the student was questioned for understanding. Then,
during the interview, the student was questioned about the truancy and unexcused
absences and questioned of any concern. Next, the parent was contacted via phone
conference/interview. Consequences were imposed on the student if warranted. Both the
student interview and parent phone interview data were charted. (Appendix F sample) All
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attendance information continues to be secured by grade level binders in the principal’s
office. Student data sheets are in alphabetical order for ease of finding and organization.
These sheets will be referred to and recorded at each future meeting. The principal
prefers the binders, so therefore that is the main form of record keeping.
.
With the parent phone conference, these same tactics were used. When consequences are
imposed because of students being over the target days of truancy, each student was told
of the reasons for being “consequenced” and how the consequence can be removed by
their consistent attendance. This consequence will be in effect for 2 weeks and will
end if the student shows consistent attendance with no truant absences in this time
period. At that time, the student has the opportunity to earn back the privilege.
Charts were completed on all students. (appendix H sample)
The binders that are kept to record student attendance collected in this action research
needs to be identified by student name. The data is secured in the high school office
(principal’s office) and does not leave the locked room. I meet with the student in the
office. The material needs to have identifiers for the issue of student attendance and
important data collection. This action research is not just for me, but also for the high
school principal in identifying students who may not graduate, need CYS (Children and
Youth Services) or other factors. This information needs to be kept up to date with as
much specifics as possible. Using the descriptive method, the data was analyzed for
reliability and validity. Predominant trends were identified. (Appendix G for diagram)
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Results or Findings
Survey results
One hundred percent of the student participants completed the survey. The survey, which
was conducted face-to-face at the interview of the 70 students identified as on-focus for
truancy, showed various trends. First, 75% of the students like to come to school
sometimes, 17% like to come to school and 8% never like to come to school. In addition,
79% of the students feel that there is no concerns that the school needs to know of, 8%
feel that there are attendance issues the school needs to know of and 13% feel the
question is not applicable. Most of the students (80%) surveyed are truant for the
following reasons: 50% for sleeping in, 40% for missing the bus, 39% did not want to
come to school and 22% didn’t complete their homework. Some of the students who
answered the survey wanted to go straight to work after high school, while some want to
attend secondary education to train for a career. Others do not know what they want to do
after high school graduation. Those that want to attain employment or do not know what
they want to do answered the survey that they do not like school, slept in or missed the
bus.
Observation Findings
Yes, the interview did go as planned. Both students are keeping personal track of their attendance, but did
not do so accurately. Neither of the students expected a meeting and parent interview/conference to occur.
They both thought they would just get away with the absent days. It made them aware of the truant days
and the fact that they may not be on target to graduate. (Both students are seniors)
I recorded my notes on a chart that I created. I could take notes and talk at the same time and also after the
parent interview, while the student is still present. The information is fresh in my mind then. Taking notes
during the interview does not interfere with the interview. In fact, the chart keeps me on target with the
information that I need to ask and know. I will use the phone as a part of my interview again. The phone is
the best source of communication with the parent next to a personal meeting.
Most of the students (92%) who have unexcused absences like to come to school at least
some of the time. The three highest reasons of not attending include missing the bus,
sleeping in or did not want to come to school. Of those students surveyed, 65% of the
students who answered the survey want to go straight to work after high school, while
some want to attend secondary education to train for a career. Others do not know what
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they want to do after high school graduation. Those that want to attain employment or do
not know what they want to do answered the survey that they do not like school, slept in
or missed the bus.
Interview findings
When interviewing the student, they were quiet and waited until the introduction was
made. Twenty of the students have already attended attendance hearings and had an
individual attendance action plans created. These students may be in jeopardy of denied
credit this school year. When answering the questions, students answered just as my data
shows. Reasons included sick (22students), missing the bus (10 students), sleeping in (26
students) and did not want to come to school (10). Some of these reasons were multiple
ones. One student’s father has cancer and is in hospice. That situation will be handled
differently with guidance involved. One student has a medical condition. That situation
will be handled differently with the school nurse involved. Some students did have
medical conditions that can be backed by doctor excuses so those absences will not count
against them. Students understood the consequences that would be put in place due to the
large number of truant absences.
Parents were contacted during the student meeting and were asked to join the meeting via
conference call. The parents agreed with the students’ answers of being sick, missing the
bus or had not excuse. The parents of 95% of the students were cooperative and
encouraging of the mandated rules and the follow through of the high school. They were
also encouraging of their child. Parents understood the consequences that would be put in
place due to the number of truant absences and also agreed with the consequences,
although a few parents (4) wanted to come up with a “deal” or negotiate to allow their
child a second chance. That was not granted, although if a medical excuse was brought to
school, the truancy absence would turn into a legal absence and the student would no
longer be on target for truancy nor be “consequenced” by the school. That was acceptable
to the 4 parents who wanted to negotiate.
Trends in my interview data show that the students who are not interested in school or
sometimes interested in school have high truant days. Students who want to go to college
after high school are truant in more cases of incomplete homework or did not study for a
test. Students who want to work after high school are truant more because they miss the
bus or sleep in. Additional trends I saw in the interview process is that 95% of the parents
were supportive of the school and encouraged that their student was identified early as a
possible truant student.
Consequences are now in place for students over 10 days truant. The consequence is
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either social probation or loss of student parking pass and will last for 2 weeks. In
addition, three students have been referred to the magistrate for an attendance hearing. In
2 weeks, attendance reports will be run again. The target date for those who are truant
will be increased, based on the percentage of days of school so far. So on Feb 16, if a
student is truant over 12 days, he/she will be identified for this action research plan and
will be a part of the process to increase attendance in our high school.
Powerschool, the grade and attendance site the school utilizes is the most accurate when
regarding attendance. This will continue to be my main source of data. Also used will be
the student’s file of excuses, and the support staff at the high school. Additionally,
parents will be a part of this procedure to include them in their child’s attendance
situation and to be a support to both the school and their child.
Interview Observation
My concern is the number of students who have a high number of truant days and may
become truant this school year and either drop out, be denied credit and are affecting their
learning. My data shows that 70 students are on target for truancy out of 735 in our
building. Through my data collection of a survey, interview and data sources of
attendance reports and other school personnel I am concerned that these students are not
receiving an adequate education based on their inconsistent attendance. The surveys
shows me how the students feel about school attendance, what they plan to do after high
school and reasons they are not in school their truant days.
According to the survey, 75% of the students sometimes like to come to school, 17% like
to come to school and 8% never like to come to school. 79% of the students feel that
there is no concerns that the school needs to know about, 8% feel that there are
attendance issues the school needs to know about and 13% feel the question is not
applicable. Most of the students surveyed are truant for the following reasons: 50% for
sleeping in, 40% for missing the bus, 39% did not want to come to school and 22% didn’t
complete their homework.
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Some of the students who answered the survey wanted to go straight to work after high
school, while some want to attend secondary education to train for a career. Others do not
know what they want to do after high school graduation. Those that want to attain
employment or do not know what they want to do answered the survey that they do not
like school, slept in or missed the bus. One student stated, “It is difficult to wake up in the
morning” At that point I sympathized with the student and then gave suggestion of going
to bed earlier.
During the interview, the students were attentive, answered questions posed to them and
understood the rules of attendance by correctly answering questions concerning
attendance. Parents were “conferenced” by phone with the student in attendance and the
parents were told the attendance information of their child. One parent’s response to the
interview said, “Thank you for talking to (student). I feel as though I have been fighting
this battle alone”. The students participated in this parent/teacher/child conference. The
student willingly answered questions. When consequences were given, the student was
questioned if he/she understood the reason for the consequence and how the student
could, after 2 weeks, gain the privilege back by improving attendance. The student was
affirmative in response. One student stated, “That is fair”, in reference to the
consequence. This response gives me hope that the student will begin to come to school
consistently.
Since the interview, students have contacted me in during the day and want to discuss
their attendance. I remind the student of the confidentially and will discuss in private, but
not in the hallway as they would like. Other students want to know if they are “on the
list” to be seen in two weeks. Again, I will not discuss this in public places. Since the
interview, I can observe the positive influence of the personal interview and
communication. Students see that others are watching their attendance. Parents are
contacted and involved. Guidance and the nurse may also be involved.
Powerschool is the main source of my data, by the creation of truant days. This data
determines the number of days a student is truant and is the main determinate for
consequences.
The historical data has/is being used in several ways. First, I looked at past attendance of
the student and then of the siblings of the same family. Information from the nurse,
guidance and other supports in the school help better describe the student in a more
personal way. This gives me more information to make a personal impact on the
student’s behavior/attendance.
The communication with the student did not end at the attendance meeting. I observed
that the students want to talk, like being encouraged to attend school and likes the
communication and relationship that has developed. I am happy to say that this has
occurred with 100% of the students!
On Feb 16, this procedure will be repeated. I am excited to see, with all that has occurred
because of the Jan 20th
meeting, if the number of truant students decrease and if the
consequence is earned back by students.
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The one thing that has helped ethically is that I feel that I can discuss attendance with
these students outside of the meeting, without speaking of the specifics of the data and
use those moments to reinforce what was stated at the meeting and encourage them to
come to school. Sometimes students need the extra attention, that smile or feeling that
you care about them and notice when they are not in school. Hopefully, these
conversations will make a difference in their attendance. This has also added a
comfort/trust level to my research, and me for the students are not inhibited to talk at
meetings and discuss their situation. I feel this ethical consideration will be a reinforcer
for a successful action plan.
Discussion:
In my action plan, I hoped to increase unexcused absences of high school students
who are at-risk of being truant this school year. The validity of my data did measure
what I had intended to measure. The customized reports of Powerschool, our online
attendance and grade program identifies the participants in my action plan. The
survey, interview and parent phone conference further supports reasons for the
absences. In my action plan, I plan to address the reasons that were given the most
by the students. I will also determine if the consequences given to the students make
a difference in the student’s attendance behavior.
It is important to look at the source of the on line data to determine its reliability.
Each piece of data should support the other. A survey response should be supported
through the interview. Other reports may be available to support both the survey
and interview. These should be investigated.
Another way to determine reliability is to complete the survey or interview again. If
the participants give the same answers then the data is considered reliable.
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To determine reliability of my on line data collection, I used a survey to determine
the reason students have acquired a high number of truant absences.
The survey was completed and responses received. The students at the time were
participating in the fact-to-face interview. Participants came to the meeting knowing
the focus of the meeting would be truancy. The questions at the interview supported
the survey responses. Parents participated in a phone conference during the student
interview and also supported the survey answers from their child. I felt that the
data, at that point was reliable.
In a comparison to my findings, Joyce Epstein and Steven Sheldon completed a study
involving improving student school attendance, as part of an educational grant and John
Hopkins University. This research was made to prevent or minimize student dropout
during high school, elementary and middle schools need to focus on improving and
maintaining student attendance and student motivation to learn. (Epstein and Sheldon)
This study supports the specific partnership between school, family and community
utilized to improve school attendance. Baseline surveys were mailed to schools that
supported the partnership communication and 18 participated. Interventions included an
increased communication for student, family and community. Most of the effective
involvement activities were designed to improve school-to-home and home-to-school
communications, and to recognize positive attendance results. Communicating effectively
about attendance with all parents, providing a school contact person for parents to call,
and rewarding students for improved attendance are three activities that were consistently
associated with increasing average daily attendance and reducing chronic absence.
(Epstein and Sheldon)
The schools provided data attendance for 3 consecutive years. Percentages increased
between 1195-1997 from 93.08% to 94.16%.
The conclusion of the study suggests that school attendance is more likely to improve
when involving students, family and community in a positive manner and focusing on
attendance over time. The interaction between school, family and community was a
positive one. The study gave a human quality to a corrective action being the importance
of being in school. This contact was more effective that threatening parents with fine or
CYS. The study shows that certain partnership between school, family and community
may be affective in improving school attendance.
This study supports my action plan in several ways. Although I did not involve the
community in my action research plan, I did provide an intervention of school and family
communication. I also involved other school staff members and involvement in
counseling and other agencies were offered. The emphasis in my action research plan is
to communicate with parents that students are at-risk for truancy and education all parties
of the rules in place. Communication in my plan was positive and did not include the
threat of fines or CYS, as did this identified study. Epstein and Sheldon’s study to
improve attendance supports my action research plan in that attendance improved
through my interventions and communication between school and family.
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17. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
References
Attendance policy. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 5, 2015, from
http://yims.youghsd.net/
Epstein, J., & Sheldon, S. (2002, January 1). Present and Accounted for: Improving
Student Attendance Through famlly and Community Involvement
RetrievedFebruary 23, 2015, from http://www.sia-
us.com/uploads/docs/pdf/Present_and_Accounted_For_Improving_Student_Atte
ndance_Through_Family_and_Community_Involvement.pdf
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18. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2010). You and Your Action Research Project (3rd ed. pg.
2929), New York, New York: Routledge.
Purdon's Statutes. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 5, 2015, from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/purdon's_statutes/7503/compuls
ory_attendance_and_truancy_elimination_plan/507353
Appendix A
Appendix A
Phone script /voice mail for attendance:
Hello, this is ______ form Yough High school. I’m calling today because our attendance
team is concerned about your son/daughter’s school attendance. Is there anything we as a
school, should be aware of?
Our records indicate that as of (date) your son/daughter has been absent for school a total
of _____ times.
If you son or daughter continues to miss school, there are some consequences that will
follow.
We are concerned about your don or daughter’s well being and academic progress. Your
child’s attendance needs to improve to avoid consequences.
Possible consequences include:
social probation: no school dances, no field trips, club activities, no athletics, in other
words, no extra-curricular activities.
If the student drives, the parking permit may be revoked
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19. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Other consequences could be failed classes, unearned credits and possibly not being
permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies and/or earn a diploma.
Students under 17 years of age may also be referred to the magistrate for truancy
charges.
If you have any concerns, please contact Assistant Principal, Mr. Dan Wilkins at the high
school (xxx-xxx-xxxx Extention: xxxx)
Appendix B
Dear paent/guardian:
Attendance is important for school success. We at Yough High School view success in
school to success for your child’s future.
Our records indicate that as of (date) your son/daughter has been absent for school a total
of _____ times.
If you son or daughter continues to miss school, there are some consequences that will
follow.
We are concerned about your don or daughter’s well being and academic progress. Your
child’s attendance needs to improve to avoid consequences.
Possible consequences include:
social probation: no school dances, no field trips, club activities, no athletics, in other
words, no extra-curricular activities.
If the student drives, the parking permit may be revoked
Other consequences could be failed classes, unearned credits and possibly not being
permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies and/or earn a diploma.
Students under 17 years of age may also be referred to the magistrate for truancy
charges.
Appendix C
Permission forms.
Dear: (parent)
As part of the requirement for a course I am taking for my Master’ for on line learning, I
am conducting an action research project into studying how I can encourage students to
improve attendance so they can improve learning and graduate from high school. I would
appreciate your encouragement and permission for this project.
My data collection instrument will be our grade and attendance online website, Power
school. I will be using excel spread-sheets to evaluate the data as well as report of this
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20. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
documentation. I will guarantee confidentiality of information and names. I will be
making phone calls to parents, meeting with students and collecting data on tardies to
school. If you wish, I will keep you informed of my progress throughout this research
plan. My action research project will be available at Yough High School for scrutiny
throughout the length of the plan. A student does not have to be a part of this research
and may opt out of participation at any time.
I would appreciate your cooperation by signing this letter giving me permission to try to
accomplish this plan.
Thank you for allowing ___________to participate in my research.
You may contact me at
email: grandij@youghsd.net
Phone: 724-446-5520 x 2028
Sincerely,
Joy Grandi
Learning Support
Teacher, Yough High School
Return portion:
I (name) _________________________ give Joy Grandi permission to allow my
(son/daughter)_____________________________ to participate in this research.
Parent signature______________________date_____
Parent name______________________________
Letter to Principal/guidance counselors/staff
Dear (Principal)(staff)
As part of my master’s course for on line teaching, I am conducting research to see how I
can encourage students to have satisfactory attendance to improve learning and graduate
from high school. I would appreciate your permission and support of this project.
My data collection methods will be utilizing Powerschool, our grade and attendance site
and excel spread sheets for data collection. I will secure permission from parents and
will guarantee confidentiality of all information. I promise to make my project available
to you throughout my research and will give you a copy when the research is completed.
I would appreciate your encouragement and permission at this time.
Joy Grandi
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21. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Return portion:
I (principal, staff) give permission to Joy Grandi to undertake her research at the high
school in Yough School District.
Principal’s signature_(or staff member)(________________________date__________
Principal Name.________________________ (or staff name)
Appendix D
Survey
Attendance
Please answer the following
Do you like to come to school?
Mark only one oval.
o Yes
o Never
o Sometimes
Are there any concerns we need to know as a school that cause you to miss
school?
Mark only one oval.
o Yes
o No
o N/A
What are your plans after high school?
Type your answer here.
When you miss school as an unexcued day, what are some of the reasons?
Please check all that apply.
Check all that apply.
o I missed the bus.
o I slept in.
o I didn't complete my homework.
o I didn't study for a test.
o I didn't want to come to school.
o I have a problem with others on the bus.
o I have a problem with others in school.
o I have a situation with my family.
o I have to stay home to babysit.
o I don't like gym class.
o Other
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22. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Appendix E
Brief explanation of the action research project to shared with the interviewee.
Consistent attendance is an important part of education. The state sets rules for
attendance and every school district has to abide by those regulations. According to the
state, any student under the age of 17 can miss no more than 10 unexcused days of school
per school year. Any student over the age of 17 cannot miss more than 20 unexcused
days of school. If this occurs, a student is considered truant.
Topics and the type of information you will need to cover them.
I will need an attendance report run of unexcused days of absence from our Powerschool
attendance for this school year and grade program and the student’s file of received
excuses during the school year from the school secretary. I will explain to the student that
they are not on target with satisfactory attendance and may be in jeopardy to lose credit
for classes, social probation or fines.
o
Questions, preferably open-ended, about your topics.
Why have you missed ___ days of school?
Are their any concerns we need to be aware of as a district and school?
What is your understanding of the state and school policy for missing more than 10 days
of school if under 17 and 20 days of school if over 17? (this depends on the student’s age)
Questions that ask the interviewee to be more specific.
What can you do to make sure you are up and ready for school?
If transportation is a problem, what can we do, as a school, to make this better?
If your bus stop location is a concern, what can we do, as a school, to make this better?
Who is bothering you on the bus or at the bus stop to upset you?
Questions that allow the interviewee to say what is on his/her mind.
What is it about the state rules for attending school that you don’t understand?
Is there something of concern to you that causes you to miss school?
Is something preventing you from coming to school consistently?
Now that you are aware of your attendance, what are you going to do?
Interactive tool(s) you will use to conduct the interview(s).
I will use Powerschool, our online attendance and grade web tool to document unexcused
days of school. Attendance reports can be uploaded into excel to document attendance
performance and progress. I will use an excel chart to document the absences of the
students. I will also have a binder for each grade level. I will include a page for each
student, identifying their name, date met with, date parent informed and the sum of
unexcused days.
Protocol for Parents:
Brief explanation of your action research project to share with the interviewee.
Consistent attendance is an important part of education. The state sets rules for
attendance and every school district has to abide by those regulations. According to the
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23. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
state, any student under the age of 17 can miss no more than 10 unexcused days of school
per school year. Any student over the age of 17 cannot miss more than 20 unexcused
days of school. If this occurs, the student is considered truant.
Topics and the type of information you will need to cover them.
I will need an attendance report run of unexcused days of absence from our Powerschool
attendance and grade program and the student’s file of received excuses during the school
year from the school secretary. I will explain to the parent that their child is not on target
with satisfactory attendance and may be in jeopardy to lose credit for classes, social
probation or fines.
Questions, preferably open-ended, about your topics.
Are their any concerns we need to be aware of as a district and school?
What is your understanding of the state and school policy for missing more than 10 days
of school if under 17 and 20 days of school if over 17? (this depends on the student’s age)
Questions that ask the interviewee to be more specific.
What can you do to make sure your child is up and ready for school?
If transportation is a problem, what can we do, as a school, to make this better?
If your bus stop location is a concern, what can we do, as a school, to make this better?
Who is bothering your child on the bus or at the bus stop to upset them?
Questions that allow the interviewee to say what is on his/her mind.
What is it about the state rules for attending school that you don’t understand?
Is there something of concern to you that causes your child to miss school?
Is something preventing your child from coming to school consistently?
Now that you know this information, what are you going to do to help your child come to
school?
Interactive tool(s) you will use to conduct the interview(s).
I will use Powerschool, our online attendance and grade web tool to document unexcused
days of school. Attendance reports can be uploaded into excel to document attendance
performance and progress. I will also have a binder for each grade level. I will include a
page for each student, identifying their name, date met with, date parent informed and the
sum of unexcused days.
Appendix F
Student
name
date Truant
days
Concerns/question Parent
contact
Parent
concerns
student
consequence
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24. Action Research in the E-Learning Environment-Improving School Attendance
Appendix G-google forms analysis
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17QTNKCkGAoN-Gf8QJIArRHip8n2ECSFEB-
rkAQghVww/viewanalytics
Appendix H
Student
name
Date
Jan 20
Truant
days 12
Concerns/question
Slept in
Parent
contact
Yes
Jan 20
Parent
concerns
Student
works
student
consequence
social
probation
Student
name
Date
Jan. 20
Truant
days 14
Concerns/question
Missed bus
Parent
contact
Yes
Jan 20
Parent
concerns
Parent
works, cant
transport
student
consequence
social
probation
Appendix I Collection data from interview.
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