Missing Classmates and Attendance Patterns in Elementary Schools

Abstract

Policymakers and educational leaders have invested considerable effort in identifying factors that contribute to student absenteeism. While research has extensively examined environmental and school-level influences, less attention has been given to how classroom dynamics shape attendance patterns. This study examined the impact of peer absenteeism on individual student attendance in four Texas school districts, leveraging daily-level attendance data. Findings indicate that classmates’ absences increase a student's likelihood of being absent the following day, and these effects persist even after removing absences attributed to illness. We did not find differences based on peer achievement levels. Lastly, we found that peer absences correspond to student absences not just the following day but for several days into the school week, reinforcing the broader role of classroom disruptions in shaping attendance behavior.

Keywords

educational policy elementary schools longitudinal studies peer interaction/friendship quasi-experimental analysis secondary data analysis

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