An Analysis of Truancy and Academic Performance Among Elementary Students at a Public Chartered School In New Orleans, Louisiana

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between truancy and academic performance among elementary students at a public charter school in New Orleans during the 2022-2023 and 2023- 2024 academic years. The study examines how chronic truancy impact student outcomes on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) tests in Mathematics and Language Arts. The sample includes 159 truant students out of 550 enrolled. The dataset was secondary in nature, which captured truancy records and academic performance and were retrieved from the archives of one public charter school with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Descriptive analyses and ordinal logistic regression were conducted. Results indicated that students with chronic truancy were significantly less likely to fall into a higher Language Arts (β= -2.116, p < 0.001) or Mathematics (β = -2 .047, p < 0.001) LEAP projection category, compared to students with nonchronic truancy. These findings emphasize chronic truancy as a key driver of academic underperformance, by highlighting the need for stricter attendance policies, increased parental involvement, and additional academic support for at-risk students.

KEYWORDS: Truancy, LEAP Projections, Academic Performance, Mathematics, Language Arts, Charter Schools, Elementary, Academic Support.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/16-5-08

Publication date: May 30^th 2025