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Teacher Attendance
Student enrollment in a public or charter school in the City of St. Louis where more than 30% of full-time teachers are chronically absent
Black students are 37% more likely than white students to be enrolled in schools where teachers are chronically absent.
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.
For Teacher Attendance, a score of 100 — a score reflecting racial equity — would mean black and white students are equally likely to attend schools with low chronic teacher absenteeism. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal: we also want to improve outcomes for all.
More Information
What does this indicator measure?
Teacher Attendance is measured by student enrollment in a public or charter school in the City of St. Louis where more than 30% of full-time teachers are chronically absent. Chronic absenteeism is defined as a teacher missing 10% or more of school days. In 2015, there were 75 schools (71% of all schools) with higher teacher absenteeism. These schools enrolled 26,474 students, or 75.6% of all students.
Teacher Attendance Analysis
Students enrolled in schools where more than 30% of teachers are chronically absent in St. Louis City.
| All | Black | White | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students enrolled in schools with higher teacher absenteeism | 26,474 | 21,750 | 3,058 | - | - |
| Student population | 35,006 | 26,837 | 5,149 | - | - |
| Percent of students enrolled in schools with higher teacher absenteeism | 75.6% | 81.0% | 59.4% | 1.365 to 1 | 67 |
Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015.
What does this analysis mean?
Black students are 37% more likely than white students to be enrolled in schools with higher rates of chronic teacher absenteeism. Black students are the most likely to be enrolled in schools with higher chronic teacher absenteeism (81%), followed by Asian students (80%). Hispanic students are the least likely to be enrolled in schools with high chronic teacher absenteeism (55%), followed by white students (59%).
If access were equitable, 5,809 more black students would be enrolled in schools with lower rates of chronic teacher absenteeism.
Teacher attendance by school analysis
Schools where 30% or more of teachers are chronically absent in St. Louis City.
| Schools with 30% or more of teachers are chronically absent | 75 |
|---|---|
| Number of schools reporting | 106 |
| Percent of schools | 70.8% |
Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015.
Data Note: School districts evaluated in 2015 include Carondelet Leadership Academy, City Garden Montessori, Confluence Academies, Eagle College Prep Endeavor, Gateway Science Academies, Grand Center Arts Academy, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls, KIPP St. Louis Public Schools, La Salle Charter School, Lafayette Preparatory Academy, Lift for Life Academy, North Side Community School, Preclarus Mastery Academy, Premier Charter School, South City Prep, St. Louis City Public Schools, and St. Louis Language Immersion School.
Why does Teacher Attendance matter?
All students deserve to be taught by excellent and engaged teachers. According to the National Council on Teacher Quality’s recent report on teacher attendance, "No matter how engaging or talented teachers may be, they can only have an impact on student learning if they are in the classroom."
Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission report are linked with this indicator?
The Ferguson Commission made the following calls to action related to teachers:
In particular, the Innovative Education Hub would serve as a developmental laboratory for tackling issues such as creating engaging and safe school cultures and strengthening teacher workforce, both of which would address chronic teacher absenteeism.
Questions for further investigation:
- Why is there a racial disparity in Teacher Attendance?
- What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Teacher Attendance?
- What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Teacher Attendance?
How can I learn more about this issue?
In 2014, the non-partisan National Council on Teacher Quality published the report Roll Call: The Importance of Teacher Attendance.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch highlighted the impact of low teacher attendance in a June 27, 2018, article, "Keeping teachers in St. Louis schools is tricky, so district is trying new hiring approach."
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reported the following statewide trends in their June 2018 Educator Equity Plan: "In high-poverty schools, 17.6 percent of the teachers are absent 10 days or more. In high-minority schools, 22.0 percent of the teachers are absent 10 days or more." St. Louis schools experience much higher rates of chronic teacher absenteeism than other school districts in the state, even when compared to other high-poverty, high-minority school districts.
