Attendance and Risk-Taking Behaviors of High School Students

1. Attendance and Risk-Taking Behaviors of High School Students The University Of Texas at El Paso

2. Outline • Introduction • Method • Data Analysis • Budget • References

3. Introduction • Statement of Problem • Review of Related Literature • Needs Assessment • Statement of Hypothesis/Null

4. Statement of Problem • Students are partaking in risk-taking behaviors. Students who have chronic absence record or cut class are engaging in higher risk behaviors that cause negative consequences that affect their school performance and finance welfare (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Students may: • Use cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol. • Be involved in crime or violence. • Drop out of school. • Disassociate with family.

5. Review of Related Literature • The organization of the review of literature is as follows: • First, school based factors of absences • Second, social, economic, ethnic, and family status factors of absences • Third, characteristics of crime • Fourth, low Grade Point Average (GPA) • Fifth, drop outs • Sixth, financial loss of schools • Seventh, parental involvement • Last, methods of solving absenteeism and risk-taking behaviors.

6. School Based Absence Factors: • Peer pressure • Personality conflict with Teacher • Failure to understand a subject • Dislike of a particular class • Failure to have completed homework (Gabb, 1995).

7. Social, Economic, Ethnic, and Family Status Factors: “Some chronically absent students believe that school is not rewarding for them, or they may have few, if any, ‘mainstream’ friends at school,” Dougherty, 1999. • May not have many friends. • Lack of finances to purchase school supplies. • Parents are not involved at home or in school.

8. Violent and Criminal Behaviors:(V & C Behaviors) Findings showed that frequently absent students engaged in more risk behaviors than those who were rarely absent (Guttmacher, Weitzman, Kapadia, & Weinberg, 2002). • Students may illegally use drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or controlled substance while absent. • Students may commit crimes in the community. • Students may be involved in a “bad crowd”.

9. Low Grade Point Average (GPA) Factors: Students are less likely to engage in risk behaviors when present and productive in school (Guttmacher, et. al., 2002). • Students decrease their attendance in school. • Students do not complete assignments. • Students are involved in high risk behaviors that alter their present mind. • Students may be socially or sexually active. • Students simply do not care about school and grades.

10. Drop Out Factors: High absences and truancy may lead to a permanent withdrawal from school (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). • Dropping out is a long process of disengagement and withdrawal from school (Epstein, Sheldon, 2002). • Lower school attendance rate does not necessarily lead to dropping out (Scott & Friedli, 2002).

11. Financial Loss of Schools: It costs a school district thousands of dollars each year in lost funds from the State and Federal government due to attendance figures being low (Garry, 1996). • Schools benefit from high attendance rates. • Schools lose money when it has a high drop out rate. • Monitoring attendance requires time of administrators.

12. Parental Involvement: Families are an important influence on student attendance and an important resource for decreasing truancy and absenteeism (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). • Parents need to check homework and report card grades. • Become involved in PTA and other school organizations. • Volunteer at school or in child’s class. • Be aware of child’s social life and peers. • Collaborate with the community.

13. A School May: • Punish students who are truant and reward high attendance (Gabb, 1995). • Suspend students from school or place in ISS (In-School Suspension) after a certain number of absences. • Have incentives for parental involvement. • Take the student to truancy court. • Always be consistent!

14. Needs Assessment Conducted at El Paso ISD (AEIS, 2003) • 62,739 student enrollment • 17,464 High School enrollment • 42,161 low-income students (67.2%) • 95.6% attendance rate • Violent or Criminal Behavior • 601 Reported Incidents in Violent or Criminal Behaviors (data is based on 2001/02 data)

15. El Paso ISD High Schools Statistics: • Andress – 1,971 enrolled 93.3% attendance; 47 V & C Behaviors • Austin – 1,566 enrolled 91.4% attendance; 19 V & C Behaviors • Bowie – 1,229 enrolled 92.6% attendance; 125 V & C Behaviors • Burgess – 1,456 enrolled 95.1% attendance; 56 V & C Behaviors • Chapin – 824 enrolled 96.5% attendance; 58 V & C Behaviors • Coronado – 2,499 enrolled 94.2% attendance; 67 V & C Behaviors • El Paso High – 1, 212 enrolled 94.8% attendance; 23 V & C Behaviors

16. El Paso ISD High Schools Statistics: • Irvin – 1,798 enrolled 93.7% attendance; 64 V & C Behaviors • Jefferson – 1,219 enrolled 91.7% enrolled; 55 V & C Behaviors • Franklin – 2,564 enrolled 94.9% attendance; 87 V & C Behaviors • Silva Health Magnet – 717 enrolled 96.2% attendance; 0 V & C Behaviors • Sunset – 220 enrolled 98.7% attendance; no data • Delta Academy – 89 enrolled 100% attendance; no data • Telles Academy – 100 enrolled 87.1% attendance; no data

17. Statement of Hypothesis/Null • Hypothesis:Students who are chronically absent and/or class cutters are engaged in risk-taking behaviors during regular school time. • Null Hypothesis:Students who are chronically absent and/or class cutters are not engaged in risk-taking behaviors during regular school time.

18. Method Participants: • 13 High Schools • 1,080 participants • Schools with more than 1,000 students, 100 at-risk participants • Schools with less than 1,000 students, 20 at-risk participants

19. Method continued… Classification of at-risk student: • Did not maintain average equivalent to 70 in two or more subjects in the foundation curriculum. • Was not advanced from one grade level to the next. • Did not perform satisfactory on TAKS/TAAS. • Is pregnant or is a parent. • Has been placed in an Alternative Education Program (AEP). • Currently on parole or probation. • Is a LEP student or homeless.

20. Methods continued… Procedure: • Time frame – 2003/2004 school year • Contact At-Risk Coordinator and principal • Alphabetical list of at-risk students • Pre-selected time and place • Every 7th student • Two days for all schools… Parent consent form

21. Methods Continued… Five days for each school…Survey • Stage 1: Give survey to present students • Stage 2: Give survey to students not present on day 1. • Stage 3: Incentives, used at local stores, given to participants in Stage 1 and 2. Mail out surveys to absent students not present during Stages 1, 2, and 3.

22. Methods Continued… Instruments: 28 Question survey The study is three fold: • Evaluate the chronic absentees and class cutter students with risk-taking behaviors. • Evaluate chronic absentees and class cutters involvement in risk-taking behaviors. • Evaluate grade level involvement and risk-taking behaviors.

23. Data Analysis • First Analysis: • The Correlation will be used to determine if chronic absentees and class cutters are engaged in risk-taking behaviors. • Second Analysis: • Independent Sample t-test will be used to measure the means between chronic absentee students vs. class cutting students. • Third Analysis: • A paired t-test will be conducted to determine the frequency of risk-taking behaviors of each grade levels.

24. Data Analysis Continued… • Limitations of Study: • Pool of students 1,080 • At-risk students not general population • Different policies and procedures at each school with regard to discipline • Demographics (Border city vs. Northern Texas districts) • Gender reaction to risk-taking behaviors

25. Data Analysis Continued… • Delimitations of Study: • Students move without informing school • Chronically ill students • Failure to return Consent forms • Lack of participation from schools • Time element for principals and At-Risk Coordinator • Return of mailed surveys • Wrong address of participant

26. Budget Projected costs for 1,080 participants • Clasp envelopes $54.00 • Copies of Survey $540.00 • Copies of Consent Forms $324.00 • 100 extra copies of Consent Forms $30.00 • Stamps $400.00 • Labels $10.99 • Return Clasp, stamped, labeled envelopes $464.99 • Thank you Cards $12.99 • Taxes for total purchase $151.55 • Total cost: 1,934.52 • Surveys being exactly what we want: Priceless

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