Chronic School Absence

The Chronic School Absence indicator is measured by the proportion of students missing more than 10% of school days per year (based on public school attendance only). Chronic school absence is an indicator of student participation and engagement in the public school system. Students who missed days of school, missed the opportunity to learn, leading to lower test scores and a reduced likelihood of graduating from high school. Increased school absence can predict problems learning and poor academic performance, as well as lower standardized test scores and high school dropout rates. One in five Alabama eighth-graders is chronically absent from school, and among fourth-graders, that number rises to 22% of students are chronically absent. Chronic school absence has household, school, and community-level causes, including: community prevalence of chronic diseases such as asthma; quality and accessibility of the health care system; community safety; poverty and family circumstances; school social environment (e.g., bullying, stigma, discrimination); and social cohesion and trust. Although listed under Health Systems and Public Safety, the Chronic School Absence indicator has strong relevance to the Educational Opportunities, Social Cohesion, Economic Health, and Employment Opportunities domains. The indicator is an “inverse” measure, meaning that, the higher the value, the higher the negative impact on community health. Data on student attendance is available from the Alabama State Department of Education.

Neighborhood Indicator Value Ranksort descending
Penfield Park 0.8% 1
Overton 4.0% 2
Zion City 4.5% 3
Brownsville Heights 4.5% 3
Pine Knoll Vista 5.0% 5
Brummitt Heights 5.0% 5
Liberty Highlands 6.2% 7
College Hills 7.8% 8
Roebuck 8.3% 9
Glen Iris 9.2% 10
Echo Highlands 9.8% 11
Apple Valley 9.8% 11
Sun Valley 9.8% 11
Maple Grove 9.8% 11
Enon Ridge 10.2% 15
East Thomas 10.2% 15
Evergreen 10.7% 17
South Titusville 11.5% 18
Killough Springs 12.2% 19
Norwood 12.7% 20
Druid Hills 12.7% 20
Acipco-Finley 13.3% 22
Graymont 13.3% 22
Bridlewood 13.4% 24
Fountain Heights 13.7% 25
Woodland Park 14.8% 26
Huffman 16.0% 27
Airport Highlands 16.5% 28
Spring Lake 17.3% 29
Harriman Park 17.5% 30
Fairmont 17.5% 30
Five Points South 18.0% 32
North East Lake 18.1% 33
Smithfield 18.4% 34
North Birmingham 19.1% 35
Collegeville 19.1% 35
North Titusville 19.2% 37
Forest Park 19.9% 38
Redmont Park 19.9% 38
Highland Park 20.3% 40
Bush Hills 20.3% 40
Inglenook 20.8% 42
Arlington - West End 21.8% 43
Rising - West Princeton 22.3% 44
Thomas 23.9% 45
South East Lake 24.0% 46
Mason City 24.2% 47
Fairview 24.5% 48
Hooper City 24.6% 49
West End Manor 24.7% 50
Oak Ridge Park 25.5% 51
Eastwood 25.5% 51
Garden Highlands 25.7% 53
Roebuck Springs 25.8% 54
Roosevelt 26.2% 55
West Brownville 26.2% 55
Hillman 26.2% 55
West Goldwire 26.2% 55
Hillman Park 26.2% 55
Industrial Center 26.2% 55
East Brownville 26.2% 55
Tarpley City 26.2% 55
Grasselli Heights 26.2% 55
Ensley Highlands 26.4% 64
Southside 26.4% 64
Central Park 27.7% 66
South Woodlawn 28.1% 67
East Lake 28.1% 67
Crestline 28.2% 69
Crestwood North 28.2% 69
Crestwood South 28.2% 69
East Avondale 28.2% 69
Oxmoor 28.9% 73
Central City 30.9% 74
Central Pratt 31.0% 75
North Pratt 31.0% 75
Sandusky 31.0% 75
Smithfield Estates 31.0% 75
South Pratt 31.0% 75
Woodlawn 31.1% 80
Ensley 31.2% 81
Powderly 31.5% 82
Wahouma 32.1% 83
Brown Springs 32.1% 83
Riley 32.1% 83
Gate City 32.9% 86
Oakwood Place 33.0% 87
East Birmingham 33.4% 88
Germania Park 33.7% 89
Jones Valley 34.3% 90
North Avondale 36.5% 91
Sherman Heights 37.0% 92
Green Acres 37.7% 93
Wylam 39.1% 94
Belview Heights 39.7% 95
Dolomite 40.2% 96
Kingston 42.2% 97
Tuxedo 48.7% 98
Oak Ridge 48.7% 98

Key Citations:
1. Backlund E, Sorlie PD, Johnson NJ. A comparison of the relationships of education and income with mortality: the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Soc Sci Med. 1999;49(10):1373-84.
2. Fowler MG, Johnson MP, Atkinson SS. School achievement and absence in children with chronic health conditions. J Pediatr. 1985 Apr;106(4):683-7.
3. Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. Chronic Absenteeism: Summarizing What We Know From Nationally Available Data. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools. 2012
4. http://www.attendanceworks.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Chro...
5. http://www.attendanceworks.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Abse...