Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

December 1987

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to determine if students who were called with a computer assisted dialing device would have a better attendance record than students who were not called. One hundred and fifty students from three East Tennessee schools were chosen at the beginning of the 1986-1987 school year to serve as the control group. At the end of the 1986-1987 school year another 150 students were selected from the same three schools who had been called with the computer dialing device. Students were compared based on their attendance record for the entire eight month period. Using the t test for independent samples, it was determined that students who were called with the computer device had a better attendance record than students who were not called. Boys who were called showed a significant difference when compared with boys who were not called. Girls who were called showed a significant difference when compared with girls who were not called. Lower socio-economic students called with the computer device showed a significant difference when compared with lower socio-economic students who were not called. Higher socio-economic students called with the computer device showed a significant difference in attendance when compared with lower socio-economic students who were not called. Higher socio-economic students called with the computer device showed a significant difference in attendance when compared with higher socio-economic students who were not called. Black students called with the computer dialing device had a better attendance record than white students who were not called. Black students who were called with the computer device showed no significant difference when compared with black students who were not called. White students called with the computer device showed a significant difference in attendance when compared with white students who were not called. Black students called with the computer device showed a significant difference in attendance when compared with white students who were also called. Conclusions of the study emphasize the need for daily contact with the parents of students who are absent from school. A list of students with excessive absences the previous year should be targeted for a series of interventions to assure consistent school attendance. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

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