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.

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

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...