Mixed-Methods Research
School Attendance & Community Partnerships
Investigating the link between school-community connections and student attendance across Queensland
The Problem
Student absenteeism is a critical challenge in Australia and globally, with attendance rates declining to concerning levels—further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research highlights the role of strong school-community connections, alongside resources and capacities, in addressing this issue. This three-year project investigates the link between school attendance and school-community partnerships, with a focus on how community cohesion shapes attendance patterns.
Research Team
I contribute to this project as a Research Assistant, supporting data analysis, qualitative coding, and the preparation of research outputs across all three phases.
Theoretical Framework
The project draws on two complementary frameworks to understand school-community collaboration as a reciprocal and mutually beneficial process.
Nancy Fraser's Social Justice Theory
Examines how forms of economic, cultural, and political (in)justice impact a person's ability to participate in society—including education.
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems
Positions student attendance within nested systems—from immediate school environments to broader community and societal contexts.
Research Phases
Administrative Data Analysis
A systematic literature review and analysis of publicly available longitudinal data from Queensland state schools to examine attendance trends and community cohesion.
Methodology
- Longitudinal data from 264 Queensland secondary schools (2013–2019)
- Community cohesion indicators: volunteering rates, offences against persons
- Quantile regression modelling of attendance rates and levels
- Controls for school and area-level socio-economic disadvantage
School Leader Interviews
Online interviews with school leaders across diverse regions, including rural and remote areas, to identify factors influencing attendance and effective strategies.
Methodology
- Semi-structured interviews with 16 school leaders
- Purposive sampling across metropolitan, regional, and remote schools
- Thematic analysis of barriers, enablers, and community partnerships
- Focus on schools demonstrating improved attendance in low-SES contexts
In-Depth School Case Studies
Five schools participated in an in-depth study engaging students, teachers, parents, and community members to explore collaborative approaches for improving attendance.
Methodology
- Multi-stakeholder perspectives: students, teachers, parents, community members
- Focus groups and individual interviews within each school community
- Analysis through Fraser's social justice lens
- Development of sustainable, socially just strategies
Emerging Insights
Phase 1 analysis reveals that community cohesion indicators are meaningfully associated with school attendance, even after accounting for socio-economic factors. Schools in communities with higher volunteering rates and lower rates of violent crime tend to have higher attendance—suggesting that community context matters beyond what individual schools can control.
Attendance rates across Queensland secondary schools rose between 2013 and 2015, then declined through to 2019—a pattern consistent across schools of different sizes and remoteness levels. This pre-pandemic decline highlights attendance as an issue requiring attention well before COVID-19 disruptions.
Qualitative phases are exploring how schools and communities can work together in ways that address structural barriers to attendance while respecting the diverse contexts of regional, rural, and remote communities.