Project Games: A Sports-Based Truancy Intervention To Reduce Student Absenteeism At Doña Aurora National High School
Arnel A. Simon
Discipline: Education
Abstract:
Students’ attendance at school and their classes plays a decisive role in the success of education. Absenteeism and truancy are prevalent issues in today’s academic scenario. Recognition of the roles of attendance, academic engagement, and participation in extracurricular activities, such as sports, can improve students' motivation to attend school. The study was conducted at Doña Aurora National High School to assess the effectiveness of Project GAMES, a truancy intervention program, on 30 students purposively selected based on their accumulated absences for the 2023- 2024 school year. The study employed a mixed-methods research design, focusing on both descriptive and narratology approaches. The most common perceived barriers to school attendance are a lack of understanding of lectures, a lack of interest, and an inconducive classroom environment. The most common causes of absenteeism are illness, oversleeping, and other personal commitments such as work. Truancy interventions primarily involved the support of advisors or counselors, with home visitation being less common and take-home activities being rare. Ultimately, participation in the intervention program has improved attendance and grades and led to positive behavioral changes. Students also reported increased motivation, leadership growth, and parental pride as a result of the intervention, indicating positive impacts on students’ well-being and academic success. Therefore, it is recommended that the implementation of Project GAMES be continued and expanded to other academic disciplines.
References:
- Allensworth, E. M., & Easton, J. Q. (2007). What matters for staying on-track and graduating in Chicago Public High Schools: A close look at course grades, failures, and attendance in the freshman year. Chicago, IL: Consortium on Chicago School Research.
- Ansari, A., Hofkens, T. L., & Pianta, R. C. (2020). Absenteeism in the first decade of education forecasts civic engagement and educational and socioeconomic prospects in young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49, 1835-1848.
- Armour K, Duncombe R, Stewart K. YST/BSkyB “Living for Sport Programme: Year 4 report—Institute of Youth Sport 2007.
- Atkinson, M & Kinder, K (2000). Starting to join: an evaluation of multi-agency support team activity in schools. Paper presented at BERA, Cardiff 2000. Slough: NFER
- Attendance Works. (2015). Mapping the early attendance gap: Charting a course forschoolsuccess.Retrievedfromhttp://www.attendanceworks.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/05/Mapping-the-Early-Attendance-Gap_Final-4.pdf.
- Babakhanian Z, Rezvani Khorashadi R, Vakili R, Ajilian Abbasi M, Akhavan H, Saeidi M. Analyzing the Factors Affecting Students’ Absenteeism in University Classrooms; A Systematic Review. Med Edu Bull 2022; 3(4): 563-75.DOI: 10.22034/MEB.2022.353007.1064
- Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2012). The importance of being there: A report on absenteeism in the nation’s public schools. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools
- Balkıs, M., Arslan, G., & Duru, E. (2016). The school absenteeism among high school students: Contributing factors. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16, 1819–1831.
- Basch, C. E. (2011). Asthma and the achievement gap among urban minority youth. Journal of School Health, pp. 81, 606–613.
- Bevans, K. B., Bradshaw, C. P., Miech, R., & Leaf, P. J. (2007). Staff- and school-level predictors of school organizational health: A multilevel analysis. The Journal of School Health, 77, 294–30
- Bevans, K. B., Bradshaw, C. P., Miech, R., & Leaf, P. J. (2007). Staff- and school-level predictors of school organizational health: A multilevel analysis. The Journal of School Health, 77, 294–30
- Black, A. T., Seder, R. C., & Kekahio, W. (2014). Review of research on student non-enrollment and chronic absenteeism: A report for the Pacific Region (REL 2015–054). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Pacific. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.
- California Department of Education (2017, December). State schools chief Tom Torlakson announces that statewide chronic absenteeism data is available forthe first time. News release. Retrieved from https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr17/yr17rel88.asp
- Chang, H. N., Bauer, L., & Byrnes, V. (2018). Data matters: Using chronic absence to accelerate action for student success. Attendance Works and Everyone Graduates Center. Retrieved from http://www.attendanceworks.org/data-matters/
- Cholewa, B., Hull, M. F., Babcock, C. R., & Smith, A. D. (2018). Predictors and academic outcomes associated with in-school suspension. School PsychologyQuarterly, pp. 33, 191–199.
- Cresswell JW, Plano Clark VL. Designing and conducting mixed-method research. 2nd Sage; Thousand Oaks, CA: 2011.
- Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
- Da Costa Nunez, R., Erb-Downward, J., & Shaw-Amoah, A. (2015). Empty seats: The epidemic of absenteeism among homeless elementary students. The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness. Retrieved from http://www.icphusa.org/new_york_city/emptyseats-the-epidemic-of-absenteeism-among-homeless-elementary-students/
- Din, F. S. (2015). Sports activities versus academic achievement for rural high school students. National Forum of Applied Educational Research JournalElectronic, 18(3).
- Egger, H. L., Costello, E. J., & Angold, A. (2003). School refusal and psychiatric disorders: A community study. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 797-807.
- Enosh, G., Tzafrir, S. S., & Stolovy, T. (2014). The development of a client violencequestionnaire (CVQ). Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(3), 273–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689814525263
- Entwisle, D. R., Alexander, K. L., & Olson, L. S. (1997). Children, schools, and inequality. Boulder, CO: Westview
- Erbstein, N., Olagundoye, S., Hartzog, C. (2015). Chronic absenteeism in Sacramento City Unified School District: Emerging lessons from four learning collaborative sites. Davis, CA: UC Davis Center for Regional Change.
- Farias, Cláudio & Isabel, Mesquita & Hastie, Peter. (2018). Farias, Mesquita and Hastie, 2018. Student game-play performance in invasion games following three consecutive hybrid sports education seasons. 1-22. European Physical Education Review. 25. 10.1177/1356336X18769220.
- Feldman, M. A., Ojanen, T., Gesten, E. L., Smith‐Schrandt, H., Brannick, M., Totura, C. M. W., ... & Brown, K. (2014). The effects of middle school bullying and victimization on adjustment through high school: Growth modeling of achievement, school attendance, and disciplinary trajectories. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 1046-1062.
- Fetters, M. D. (2016). Haven’t we always been doing mixed methods research? Lessons learned from the development of the horseless carriage. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689815620883
- Flannery, K. B., Frank, J. L., & Kato, M. M. (2012). School disciplinary responses to absenteeism: Current practice and future directions. Journal of School Violence, pp. 11, 118–137.
- Gastric, B. (2008). School absenteeism and the disciplinary problems of bullying victims. Educational Review, 60, 391-404.
- Guevara, J.P., Mandell, D., Danagoulian, S., Reyner, J., & Pati, S. (2013). Parental depressive symptoms and children’s school attendance and emergency department use: A nationally representative study. Maternal Child Health Journal, 19, 1130–1137.
- Hawkins R, Mulkey LM: Athletic investment and academic resilience in a national sample of African American females and males in the Middle Grades. EducUrban Society 2005, 38:62-88.
- Heatly, M. C., Bachman, H. J., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2015). Developmental patterns in the associations between instructional practices and children’s math trajectories in elementary school. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 41(November), 46–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2015.06.002
- Hjalmarsson, R. (2008). Criminal justice involvement and high school completion. Journal of Urban Economics, 63, 613-630.
- Houlihan, B., Bloyce, D., and Smith, A., 2009. Developing the research agenda in sport policy. International journal of sport policy, 1 (1), 1–12. doi:10.1080/19406940802681186
- Humm Brundage, A., Castillo, J. M., & Batsche, G. M. (2017). Reasons for chronic absenteeism among secondary students: Survey summary report. Tampa, FL: Florida’s Problem Solving & Response to Intervention Project
- Humm Patnode, A., Gibbons, K., & Edmunds, R. R. (2018). Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism: Literature Review. Saint Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement.
- Humm Patnode, A., Gibbons, K., & Edmunds, R. R. (2018).Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism: Literature Review.Saint Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement.
- Jeanes R, Musson H, Kay T. Chance to Shine evaluation: Year 3 Impact Report. Institute of Youth Sport 2009.
- Jordan, P. W. & Miller, R. (2017). Who is in Chronic absenteeism under the Every Student Succeeds Act? Washington, DC: Future Ed.
- Jovinius, J. (2015). an investigation of the effect of geographical location of schools to the students’ academic performance: a case of public secondary schools in mulebadistrict.http://repository.out.ac.tz/1396/1/JOSEPH’S_RESEARCH_edited.pdf
- Kearney, C. A., & Graczyk, P. (2014). A response to intervention model to promote school attendance and decrease school absenteeism. Child & Youth Care Forum, 43, 1-25.
- Kirksey, J. J. (2019). Academic harms of missing high school and the accuracy of current policy thresholds: Analysis of preregistered administrative data from a California school district. AERA Open, 5(3), 2332858419867692.
- Klein, M, Sosu, EM & Dare, S (2022). ‘School absenteeism and academic achievement: Does the reason for absence matter?’, AERA Open, vol. 8, no. 1. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211071115
- Klein, M., Sosu, E. M., & Dare, S. (2022). School absenteeism and academic achievement: Does the reason for absence matter? AERA Open, 8, 23328584211071115.
- Klein, M., Sosu, E. M., & Dare, S. (2022). School Absenteeism and Academic Achievement:Does the Reason for Absence Matter? https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211071115
- Korpershoek, H., Canrinus, E. T., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & de Boer, H. (2020). The relationship between school belonging and students’ motivational, social-emotional, behavioral and academic outcomes in secondary education: A meta-analytic review. Research Papers in Education, 35(6), 641–680. https:// doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1615116
- Lee, T., Cornell, D., Gregory, A., & Fan, X. (2011). High suspension schools and dropout rates for black and white students. Education and Treatment of Children, pp. 34, 167–192.
- Libbey HP. Measuring Student Relationships to School: Attachment, Bonding, Connectedness, and Engagement. Journal of School Health 2004;274– 283.
- Long J, Welsh M, Bramham P, Butterfield J, Hylton K, Lloyd E. Count me in the dimensions of social inclusion through culture and sport. London: DCMS 2002.
- Lyon AR. Confirmatory factor analysis of the School Refusal Assessment Scale- Revised in an African American community sample. J Psychoeduc Assess. 2009 Nov 22;20(10):1-13. Doi: 10.1177/0734282909353438. PMID: 20567603; PMCID: PMC2887607.
- Maxwell, J. A. (2016). Expanding the history and range of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(1), 12–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689815571132
- Melnick MJ, Sabo DF, Vanfossen B. Educational effects of interscholastic athletic participation on African-American and Hispanic youth. Adolescence. 1992;27: 295–308.
- Mendell, M. J., Eliseeva, E. A., Davies, M. M., Spears, M., Lobscheid, A., Fisk, W. J., & Apte, M. G. (2013). Association of classroom ventilation with reduced illness absence: a prospective study in California elementary schools. Indoor Air, 23, 515-528.
- Mendell, M. J., Eliseeva, E. A., Davies, M. M., Spears, M., Lobscheid, A., Fisk, W. J., & Apte, M. G. (2013). Association of classroom ventilation with reduced illness absence: a prospective study in California elementary schools. Indoor Air, 23, 515-528.
- Minnesota Department of Education. (2018a). Implementing ESSA: Consistent attendance summary.Retrievedfromhttps://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/ESSA/Imp/MDE072612.
- Morrissey, T. W., Hutchison, L., & Winsler, A. (2014). Family income, school attendance, and academic achievement in elementary school. Developmental Psychology, 50(3), 741–753. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033848
- National Center for Safe Routes to School (2016). Trends in walking and bicycling to school from 2007 to 2014. Chapel Hill, NC: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved from www.saferoutesinfo.org
- National Collaborative on Education and Health (2015). Brief on chronic absenteeism and school health. Chicago, IL: Author.
- Neumark-Sztainer, D., French, S.A., Hannan, P.J. et al. School lunch and snacking patterns among high school students: Associations with school food environment and policies. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2, 14 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-2-14
- Patton MQ. Qualitative research and evaluation methods. 3rd Sage Publications; Thousand Oaks, CA: 2002.
- Poth, C., & Munce, S. E. P. (2020). Commentary—Preparing today’s researchers for a yet unknown tomorrow: Promising practices for a synergistic and sustainable mentoring approach to mixed methods research learning. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 12(1), 56–64. doi:10.29034/ijmra.v12n1commentary
- Pourat, N. & Nicholson, G. (2009). Unaffordable dental care is linked to frequent school absences. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
- Rasmussen, K. (2017). The changing sports scene. Educational Leadership, 57(4), 26-29.
- Rees, D. I. and Sabia, J. J. (2018). Sports participation and academic performance: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Economics of Education Review, 29(2018), 751–759.
- Reid, Ken. (2005). The Causes, Views and Traits of School Absenteeism and Absenteeism: An Analytical Review. Research in Education. 74. 10.7227/RIE.74.6.
- Sandford R, Armour K, Bowyer S. It might be fashionable, but does it “work”?: Physical activity, behavior management and impact paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Manchester University, September 2004.
- Shorten A., & Smith J. (2017). Mixed methods research: Expanding the evidence base. Evid Based Nurs, 20, 74–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/eb-2017- 102699
- Stempel H, Cox-Martin M, Bronsert M, Dickinson LM, Allison MA. Chronic School Absenteeism and the Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Acad Pediatr. 2017 Nov-Dec;17(8):837-843. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2017.09.013. Epub 2017 Sep 18. PMID: 28927940.
- Suleman, Q., Aslam, H. D., Ali, N., Hussain, Dr. I., & Akhtar, Z. (2013). Techniques used by secondary school teachers in managing classroom disruptive behaviour of secondary school students in District Karak (Pakistan). International Journal of Learning and Development, 3(1), 236. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v3i1.3403
- Taras, H. (2018). Physical activity and student performance at school. Journal of School Health, pp. 75, 214–218.
- U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice. (2015). Every Student, Every Day: A Community Toolkit to Address and Eliminate Chronic Absenteeism, Washington, D.C.: Author
- Vidyakala, K., Factors Influencing Student Absenteeism in School (June 30, 2017). International Journal of Science and Research, 2017, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3614281
- Welk G. Cardiovascular Fitness and Body Mass Index are Associated with Academic Achievement in Schools. Dallas, Texas: Cooper Institute. 2009.
- What is chronic absence. https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Publications/Reducing- Chronic-Absence-in-Connecticuts-Schools/What-is-chronic-absence
- What is chronic absence? CT.gov. (n.d.). https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Publications/Reducing-Chronic-Absence-in- Connecticuts-Schools/What-is-chronic-absence
- Wiseman, A. & Dawson, S. (2015). Why do students miss school? The Central Texas absence reasons study. E3 Alliance. Retrieved from http://e3alliance.org/the-ctx-absencereasons-study/