Date of Award

Fall 12-18-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Dr. Holly Gould

Committee Member

Dr. Lucinda Spaulding

Committee Member

Dr. Randall Dunn

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this single case study was to discover and determine the contributing factors for chronic absenteeism for high school students at a rural Central Virginia high school in order to discover potential solutions to increase attendance and to combat chronic absenteeism. An additional factor considered was habits that may have formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have led to an increase in chronic absenteeism rates. The theory that guided this study was Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, as it directly addressed how a child relates and reacts to their environments based upon their interactions. The participants in this single case study included semi-structured interviews with English (n=3) and math teachers (n=3), a focus group with the school-level attendance team (n=4), and a parent questionnaire (n=24). Four major themes emerged from the triangulation and analysis process: (1) student engagement and motivation; (2) student well-being; (3) school climate; and (4) incentives and relational supports. Important subthemes pertaining to the importance of education, student mental health, the effects of COVID-19, school-based incentives, apathy, family environments, partial absences, teacher-based incentives, homelife, parentified students, caregiver attitudes toward school, and teacher-student relationships were also included in each of these major findings. These findings demonstrated that a complex web of personal, familial, and systemic factors—rather than merely student or family irresponsibility—influenced chronic absenteeism. The study also demonstrated that external factors, particularly the aftermath of COVID-19, significantly impact school climate, along with possible caregiver attitudes toward education that result from previous negative school encounters. The three main incentives and supports that may address these pervasive issues are strong teacher-student interactions, school-based incentives, and teacher-based incentives. The study also found that a positive, relationship-focused approach was the most effective way to boost attendance and create a truly supportive learning environment. The findings from these studies, as well as the supporting information included in the main conclusions of this particular case study, enable suggestions to be made that can be utilized at the local school and division level to help combat chronic absenteeism.

Keywords: chronic absenteeism, parent support, attendance interventions, attendance incentives, case study, ecological systems theory, mesosystem, microsystem, accreditation

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Chronic Absenteeism: A Case Study in a Central Virginia High School Investigating Student Habits and Potential Interventions

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