Second Start Alternative High School: A Case Study

Many of the students enrolled at Second Start Alternative High School are referred as a result of their low rates of attendance at their current schools. Due to this fact, Second Start enforces that students must be present eighty-five percent of the time in order to receive credit each quarter. The policy states that even if a student completes all of their coursework, they will not receive credit if their rate of attendance is below an eighty-five percent. However, students who are chronically absent, rarely complete all of their assignments. Students who have frequent absences find it difficult to complete quality work typically because they missed the associated instruction. As a result, multiple absences typically have a strong correlation

Students who are habitually absent are more likely to participate in risk-taking behaviors such as substance abuse, violence, and delinquency (Kearney & Graczyk, 2013). These students are also at a higher risk for suicide attempt, teen pregnancy, and injury or illness (Kearney & Graczyk, 2013). Adolescents who miss large amounts of school are more likely to drop out of high school compared to their peers who attend school regularly (Kearney & Graczyk, 2013). Students who have high rates of attendance consistently score higher on achievement tests compared to their chronically absent peers (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Long-term effects of chronic absenteeism include low socioeconomic status in adulthood, social and emotional difficulties, and psychiatric disorders (Kearney & Graczyk, 2013). This research seeks to improve attendance among students at Second Start Alternative High School. Many students are not receiving academic credit due to their lack of attendance. The target problem is defined as frequent absenteeism. Students who are not accomplishing an attendance rate of eighty-five percent can be determined as frequently absent. The objective of this study is for students to attend school at least fifteen school days in a seventeen day period. If the students are able to achieve this goal, their rate of attendance will be eighty-eight