2008 Reports

The Influence of Maternal and Family Risk on Chronic Absenteeism in Early Schooling

Romero, Mariajose; Lee, Young-Sun

Building on previous analyses that revealed a significant level of absenteeism in the early school years, especially among low-income children, and confirmed its detrimental effects on school success, this second report in this series explores how maternal and family risks impact early school absenteeism. Using data from a nationally representative sample of kindergartners from across various incomes and race/ethnicity groups – the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (Kindergarten Cohort)7, NCCP examines the prevalence of risk factors known to threaten young children’s healthy development and early school success. These include: poverty, teenage and/or single parenting, low levels of maternal education, receipt of welfare, unemployment, poor maternal health, food insecurity, and large family size – that is, four or more children at home. It also assesses the cumulative impact of early exposure to multiple risk factors, building on a large body of research showing that the more demographic and psycho-social risks children encounter, the more likely they are to experience poor developmental and school outcomes.