Factors affecting chronically tardy students in a selected elementary school of the DeKalb County school system

• Main Author: Russell, Alexander, Jr.
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 1990
• Subjects: Educational Leadership
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/2186; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3834&context=dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the following factors may differ between chronically tardy and non-tardy students: Parental attitudes, family structure, socioeconomic status, teacher attitudes, and schoolmates' influence. The population of this study was the students at an elementary school in the Dekalb County School System, Georgia. Thirty students participated in the study. The ages of the participants ranged from 8 through 13. The instrument used in this study is entitled The Home and School Environment Questionnaire. Of the five variables analyzed, only two proved to have significant differences as perceived by the two groups of students. The two variables were: (1) Family structure in terms of the presence of the father in the home, and (2) teacher attitude. Along with the findings, conclusions, and implications, it was recommended that the following initiatives be developed: (1) Parenting Workshops for the parents of those students identified as chronically tardy; (2) Schoolwide strategies that encourage students to arrive at school on time; (3) A Big Brother program in which male adult figures spend time with chronically tardy students; (4) A communication system that will inform parents of tardies on a daily basis; (5) Workshops to enhance positive teacher-student interactions that will improve students' perceptions of teachers; and (6) rewards for students and praise parents for maintaining good attendance records in school.