A Study of Rationales and Interventions of Tardiness in a Public School in the Carolina's
A Study of Rationales and Interventions of Tardiness in A Public School in South Eastern North Carolina
“School A” is a high poverty school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The school was built in 1959, and has a population of 193 students. The students that attend this elementary school are primarily black, and 80% of these students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. There are 13 teachers employed at the school. Two of the teachers are first year teachers, and the other 11 are veteran teachers with ten years or more experience. “School A” ranked low for the End of Grade(EOG) test given by the State of North Carolina; however, last year the school made Average Yearly Progress (AYP) by meeting all 13 targets. Moreover, “School A” improved by 11 points in proficiency and had the most growth in EOG scores in North Carolina. The school’s district includes the areas of Bonnie Doone, Cambridge Arms, and Fairlane Acres Trailer Park. According to the principal, most of the school’s parents are unemployed, and one fourth of the students are homeless. The problem is that an enormous number of students in this particular elementary school are still arriving late, and the school’s demographics are cause for the school’s problem with student tardiness. To begin with, the primary causes for student tardiness are the parents’ irresponsibility and low priority for education. Due to the unemployment for the majority of the parents of this school, tardiness should not be an issue. However, the problem is that an enormous number of students in the elementary school are still arriving late. Since “School A” is a high poverty school there are more factors than just parental involvement in the school’s high volume of tardiness. The principal stated that some of the factors that affect the students’ arrival are that their utilities have been shut off, they don’t have proper transportation, have a lack of sleep and food, or experience abuse and neglect in the home.
“School A” is a high poverty school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The school was built in 1959, and has a population of 193 students. The students that attend this elementary school are primarily black, and 80% of these students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. There are 13 teachers employed at the school. Two of the teachers are first year teachers, and the other 11 are veteran teachers with ten years or more experience. “School A” ranked low for the End of Grade(EOG) test given by the State of North Carolina; however, last year the school made Average Yearly Progress (AYP) by meeting all 13 targets. Moreover, “School A” improved by 11 points in proficiency and had the most growth in EOG scores in North Carolina. The school’s district includes the areas of Bonnie Doone, Cambridge Arms, and Fairlane Acres Trailer Park. According to the principal, most of the school’s parents are unemployed, and one fourth of the students are homeless. The problem is that an enormous number of students in this particular elementary school are still arriving late, and the school’s demographics are cause for the school’s problem with student tardiness. To begin with, the primary causes for student tardiness are the parents’ irresponsibility and low priority for education. Due to the unemployment for the majority of the parents of this school, tardiness should not be an issue. However, the problem is that an enormous number of students in the elementary school are still arriving late. Since “School A” is a high poverty school there are more factors than just parental involvement in the school’s high volume of tardiness. The principal stated that some of the factors that affect the students’ arrival are that their utilities have been shut off, they don’t have proper transportation, have a lack of sleep and food, or experience abuse and neglect in the home.
Bibliography: Epstein, Joyce L; Sheldon, Steven B. (2002). Present and accounted for: improving student attendance through family and community involvement. The Journal of Educational Research, 95(5), May/June 2002, 308-318. Ford, Janet and Sutphen, Richard D. (1996). Early intervention to improve attendance in elementary school for at-risk children: a pilot program. Social Work in Education, 18(2), April 1996, 95-102. Hope-Cushey, Beth (2002). Duquesne schools’ anti-tardiness program to include breakfast, awards. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 30, 2002. Kiwanis International (undated). Terrific Kids Program. Community Service Bulletin, No. 36. Multnomah County, Oregon (1998). Best practices for school attendance. School Success Benchmark Analysis of Multnomah County, Oregon, October 1998. National Association of Elementary School Principals (2001). Here, Here. Communicator, December 2001. Potterf, Tina. (2002). Bonding program perks up class attendance. The Seattle Times, March 2003. Leon County Schools (2003). Tardiness in Elementary School. Best Practices, 1-2. United States Department of Agriculture (1998). New Harvard research shows school breakfast program may improve children’s behavior and performance. Washington, DC: USDA. United Way of Santa Cruz County (2001). Elementary school absenteeism in Santa Cruz County. What Works! Of Santa Cruz County, March 2001.