Tackling absenteeism in Chicago

Abstract

Incisive research from the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute on the prevalence and consequences of absenteeism in Chicago schools has highlighted the dramatic effects of even moderate amounts of absences on grades, graduation rates, and student success in college. These insights spurred not only an ambitious 98% attendance goal on the university’s four charter school campuses but also a deeper collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Data-driven integration of research and practice is informing both the schools’ strategies and the researchers’ studies — and the early result is a steady uptick in student attendance.