A correlational study of student achievement and student attendance

The following study investigated whether student attendance as defined by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) sanctions of No Child Left Behind has a correlation to student passing percentages on the math and reading sections of the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) within Georgia middle schools. This study used quantitative data from 2007 through 2009 of each middle school's AYP report found on the Georgia Department of Education website. This report includes overall student passing percentages and student subgroup passing percentages such as students with disabilities, gender, race, and low socioeconomic students. The AYP report also includes student attendance data as a "second indicator" and is also identified by whole school and subgroup attendance percentages. The research design used in this study was non-experimental as the independent variables (student absenteeism and CRCT passing percentages) were not manipulated. Quantitative measures such as the Pearson R, independent t test, and multiple linear regressions were used to find correlations between variables. The results from the study show a positive correlation between student absenteeism and student passing percentages on the math and reading sections of the CRCT test. The data also identified a distinct difference between urban and rural area student attendance and passing percentages. The research also indicated that the percent of disabled students and economically disadvantaged students passing mathematics and reading and student absenteeism explain a significant amount of variability in overall math and reading performance.