The Relationship Between Problems in Student-Teacher Interaction and Chronic Absenteeism: An Examination of American Indian Kindergarteners in Tulsa Public Schools

Abstract

Compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the nation’s public school system, American Indians are the most likely to be chronically absent, defined as missing three or more weeks of school during an academic year. Qualitative research suggests that American Indian students who are chronically absent also have poor relationships with their teachers. This study takes a quantitative approach. Using individual-level data from Georgetown University’s Center for Research on Children in the U.S., I find that there is no statistically significant relationship between problems in student-teacher interaction and chronic absenteeism among American Indian kindergarteners enrolled in Tulsa Public Schools. However, given that there are only 253 students in my sample, a lack of statistical power may be hindering my ability to detect such a relationship, if it exists.