Middle School Attendance Factors
In the Bailey story, we identified some priority indicators of attendance, rooted in current research, and spanning across the social ecology framework:
- Prior attendance (by grade, in preschool programs)
- Prior academic performance (by grade, IEP status)
- Family stressors (poverty, mobility, transportation)
- Health
While many of these factors also affect middle school students, there are some characteristics that are particularly salient for students in grades 6-8:
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Grade retention affects students' relations with peers and teachers
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School belongingness can affect a student's engagement
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Suspensions affect attendance and may reflect behavioral or other issues
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Truancy emerges as students become more independent from family life and peer groups become more influential.
