Attendance and Demographic Data Tables from the Report

ATTENDANCE AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FOR THE CENTER FOR NYC AFFAIRS’ CASE STUDY SCHOOLS: 2008-2013

Researchers from the Center for New York City Affairs worked closely with educators in 13 of New York City’s lowest income schools to better understand the relationship between poverty and educational outcomes like chronic absenteeism and test scores. We found that the relationship is complicated and no single set of risk factors can predict academic success or failure. We found to some extent, educators can overcome these issues in the lives of their students. PS 63 Author’s Academy in the South Bronx posted solid scores on the new Common Core exams, for example, despite dense poverty in the neighborhood and high numbers in risk factors such as students in temporary housing and student turnover. And PS 61 Francisco Oller—a Children’s Aid Society community school in the South Bronx—had the lowest absenteeism rates in this group in the face of major poverty challenges. These schools are anomalies though. Center researchers found that the overall load of risks correlates closely with the attendance and test score variation seen in high-poverty schools citywide.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE ONE-THIRD OR MORE OF STUDENTS WERE CHRONICALLY ABSENT: SCHOOL YEAR 2012-13

Efforts to curb chronic absenteeism in New York City should start in schools where the problem is most virulent. The chart below lists the elementary and K-8 schools In New York City where one-third or more of students were chronically absent in 2012-13. In general, pass rates on the state’s Common Core-aligned tests are low in these schools and risk load rates are high. Only 10 schools out of 142 had pass rates above 20 percent on the state’s 2012-13 ELA exams. In math, only 18 schools had pass rates above 20 percent. Nearly every school with these high levels of absenteeism was challenged with nine or more risk factors, and a majority had more than 12. As is always the case, there were interesting exceptions to note. Two schools had chronic absenteeism rates above 40 percent and more than 13 risk factors yet managed to post Common Core test pass rate above 24 percent, a notable achievement and worthy of further study. In general, however, the numbers show a consistent pattern linking chronic absenteeism to high risk loads and often very poor academic results.