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Creating Welcoming Schools: The Role of Positive Climates in Reducing Absenteeism

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Title: Creating Welcoming Schools: The Role of Positive Climates in Reducing Absenteeism
Language: English
Authors: Jerome Graham (ORCID 0000-0002-8034-5994), Yi-Chih Chiang (ORCID 0000-0003-1311-1845), Su Yon Choi (ORCID 0000-0001-9456-1826)
Source: American Educational Research Journal. 2026 63(2):421-465.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 45
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
High Schools
Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Descriptors: Educational Environment, Attendance, Attendance Patterns, Middle School Students, High School Students, Student Characteristics, Race, Student Attitudes, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Geographic Terms: Georgia
DOI: 10.3102/00028312261417687
ISSN: 0002-8312
1935-1011
Abstract: Chronic absenteeism has risen significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, and while attempts to redress absenteeism can target drivers at multiple ecological levels, this study focuses on a within-school factor: student perceptions of school climate. Using statewide data from middle and high school students in Georgia, we examine how aggregated student-reported climate measures relate to absenteeism. We find that students' perceptions of climate significantly predict school-level absenteeism rates, with the relationship most pronounced for Black and White students. The association between worsening climate perceptions and absenteeism is stronger than the association for improving ones, and connectedness and safety are the climate elements most related to absenteeism. Our results position school climate as a within-school lever that stakeholders can target to combat absenteeism.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499559
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Creating Welcoming Schools: The Role of Positive Climates in Reducing Absenteeism
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jerome+Graham%22">Jerome Graham</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8034-5994">0000-0002-8034-5994</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yi-Chih+Chiang%22">Yi-Chih Chiang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1311-1845">0000-0003-1311-1845</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Su+Yon+Choi%22">Su Yon Choi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-1826">0000-0001-9456-1826</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22American+Educational+Research+Journal%22"><i>American Educational Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 63(2):421-465.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 45
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+11%22">Grade 11</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+12%22">Grade 12</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance%22">Attendance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance+Patterns%22">Attendance Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+11%22">Grade 11</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+12%22">Grade 12</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Georgia%22">Georgia</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.3102/00028312261417687
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0002-8312<br />1935-1011
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Chronic absenteeism has risen significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, and while attempts to redress absenteeism can target drivers at multiple ecological levels, this study focuses on a within-school factor: student perceptions of school climate. Using statewide data from middle and high school students in Georgia, we examine how aggregated student-reported climate measures relate to absenteeism. We find that students' perceptions of climate significantly predict school-level absenteeism rates, with the relationship most pronounced for Black and White students. The association between worsening climate perceptions and absenteeism is stronger than the association for improving ones, and connectedness and safety are the climate elements most related to absenteeism. Our results position school climate as a within-school lever that stakeholders can target to combat absenteeism.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1499559
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1499559
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  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3102/00028312261417687
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 45
        StartPage: 421
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Race
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 9
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 10
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 11
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 12
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Georgia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Creating Welcoming Schools: The Role of Positive Climates in Reducing Absenteeism
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            NameFull: Jerome Graham
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            NameFull: Yi-Chih Chiang
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            NameFull: Su Yon Choi
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              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0002-8312
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              Value: 1935-1011
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              Value: 63
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