View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by VCU Scholars Compass Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2015 A STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRUANCY REDUCTION PROGRAM ORF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Jan R. Parrish Virginia Commonwealth University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Educational Leadership Commons © The Author Downloaded from http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3868 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ©Janice R. Parrish 2015 All Rights Reserved A STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRUANCY REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Janice R. Parrish B.S., Norfolk State University, 1982 M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1989 Director: Jonathan Becker, J.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership School of Education Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia April, 2015 ii Acknowledgement I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my relatives, colleagues and friends who stood in the gap for me throughout my doctoral studies. First and foremost, I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Jonathan Becker, without whom this long and arduous journey would not have been possible. I thank you for your patience, for having faith in me and for encouraging me to continue the path even when I sometimes lost my way. It has been a pleasure working with you. Secondly, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Barbara Driver, Dr. William Muth, and Dr. Melissa Abell for taking the time and effort in reading and critiquing my dissertation. I am so grateful for your time and support. Thirdly, I would like to thank my sister Kathy, who supported, encouraged, and cheered me on. Your words of encouragement throughout this journey were invaluable. Last but not least, I would like to thank my friend Ty, for always being a beacon of hope. Thank you for believing in me. iii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated, in loving memory, to my father, Henry Thomas Parrish, Sr. For all that you sacrificed in order to provide me this opportunity. iv Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ ix ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... x 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 Scope of the Problem: Truancy................................................................................................ 1 Truancy Defined ............................................................................................................... 3 Truancy: Status Offense ................................................................................................... 5 Truancy Diversion ............................................................................................................ 6 Truancy Intervention Model .................................................................................................... 8 Identification of Students for the Truancy Pilot ....................................................................12 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................................18 Rationale for Study of Problem .............................................................................................20 Statement of Purpose .............................................................................................................21 Literature/Research Background ...........................................................................................22 Research Questions ................................................................................................................23 Summary ................................................................................................................................24 Definition of Terms................................................................................................................24 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................................................27 Historical Context of Truancy ...............................................................................................27 Challenges to Compulsory Attendance Laws ........................................................................29 Compulsory Attendance in Virginia ......................................................................................31 Excused and Unexcused Absences ........................................................................................34 Reasons for Nonattendance....................................................................................................36 Factors That Contribute to Truancy .......................................................................................38 Individual Factors ...........................................................................................................38 School Factors ................................................................................................................39 Family Factors ................................................................................................................41 Community Factors ........................................................................................................45 Truancy Intervention ..............................................................................................................47 School-Based Programs ..................................................................................................47 Community-Based Programs ..........................................................................................51 v Project START ........................................................................................................51 Check and Connect ..................................................................................................52 Family and Community Involvement .............................................................................54 Court-Based Programs ....................................................................................................54 Parent Training and Family Therapy ..............................................................................56 Summary ................................................................................................................................57 3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................59 Research Design.....................................................................................................................60 Researcher’s Perspective .......................................................................................................62 Ethical Consideration .............................................................................................................63 Phase I. District-wide Secondary Data Analysis ..................................................................64 Procedure ........................................................................................................................64 Phase II. Focused, Single-School, Mixed Methods Case Study ............................................65 Participant Selection .......................................................................................................65 Description of High School ............................................................................................65 Demographics of Focus Group Participants ...................................................................68 Instrumentation ...............................................................................................................68 Piloting of the Survey .....................................................................................................69 Focus Group ....................................................................................................................71 Advantages of Focus Groups ...................................................................................72 Disadvantages of Focus Groups ..............................................................................73 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................................73 Transcribing the Data .....................................................................................................73 Inductive Coding ............................................................................................................75 Establishing Trustworthiness