Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 2)

Abstract

As noted in Part 1 of this two-part review, school attendance is an important foundational competency for children and adolescents, and school absenteeism has been linked to myriad short- and long-term negative consequences, even into adulthood. Categorical and dimensional approaches for this population have been developed. This article (Part 2 of a two-part review) discusses compatibilities of categorical and dimensional approaches for school attendance and school absenteeism and how these approaches can inform one another. The article also poses a multidimensional multi-tiered system of supports pyramid model as a mechanism for reconciling these approaches, promoting school attendance (and/or prevention of school absenteeism), establishing early warning systems for nimble response to school attendance problems, assisting with global policy review and dissemination and implementation, and adapting to future changes in education and technology.

Testing the Functional Profiles of School Refusal Behavior and Clarifying Their Relationship With School Anxiety

“…The multidimensional nature of SAPs and the different SRB profiles identified may fit well with a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) ( 61 ). This approach includes a three-tiered system of respective supports for various absenteeism severity levels ( 12 , 13 ). However, for the success of these interventions it would be essential to adopt an interdisciplinary approach including teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, school nurses, and parents' involvement ( 27 , 31 , 62 ).…”

“…SAPs represent an extremely complex phenomenon, which various authors have tried to conceptualize and classify ( 11 – 13 ). Classification has normally distinguished between two main types of approaches: categorical and dimensional.…”

“…On the other hand, dimensional approaches defend a continuum within SAPs and highlight heterogeneity within a category and quantitative differences between categories ( 14 ). However, Heyne et al ( 11 ) and Kearney et al ( 12 , 13 ) affirm that these classificatory perspectives are compatible and complementary, with different but equally useful purposes that contribute to the understanding of the differences between young people with SAPs.…”

The School Climate and Academic Mindset Inventory (SCAMI): Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Invariance Across Demographic Groups

“…The SCAMI may be utilized to help identify demarcations between these tiers so that schools have better benchmarks for shifting and intensifying the use of resources (Berkowitz, 2019). In addition, the scale may be helpful as part of an algorithm with other known benchmarks such as absenteeism, office discipline referrals, and course grades to help predict long-term outcomes such as school dropout (Kotok et al, 2016;Kearney et al, 2019).…”

Kolik času zameškají žáci v českém základním školství?

“…Kromě "tvrdých dat" je také potřeba zkoumat perspektivu různých aktérů, jako jsou žáci, rodiče, učitelé a ředitelé škol (Finning et al, 2018(Finning et al, , 2019b. V neposlední řadě bychom se měli zajímat také o to, jak školy poskytují podporu žákům s velkým počtem zameškaných hodin a jak lze absencím předcházet (Gentle-Genitty, Taylor & Renguette, 2020; Kearney et al, 2019b;Strand & Granlund, 2014).…”