This mixed methods study examined relationships between third, fourth, and fifth grade teacher attendance as well as teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher attendance during the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 school years. Third, fourth, and fifth grade student test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement test given in the spring of 2006, 2007, and 2008 were also examined. TCAP score data for this study were gathered electronically, with published data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Teacher attendance records were collected using Siesta, a teacher attendance tracking program. Teacher and administrator perceptions were gathered through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
The population for this study included five K-5 schools and two K-8 schools in a small, rural, public school system in Tennessee. All students in grades 3 through 8 take the TCAP test each spring. Students must take a total of 4 subtests. Quantitative variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics including t tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Mann Whitney U, and Pearson correlations. Qualitative data including interviews, focus groups, surveys, documents, handbooks, and school calendars were analyzed to better understand teacher and administrator perceptions about teacher absences.
The results of this study were mixed. Teachers and administrators who participated in this study agreed that teacher absences do affect student test scores, but the quantitative data did not support this. The null hypotheses were retained in all courses and grades except third grade Math. This means there was no relationship between teacher absences and student test scores.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2449 |
| Date | 07 May 2011 |
| Creators | Hensley, Melissa Miniard |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | Copyright by the authors. |
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