MaryCatherine Arbour|Carolina Soto|Yanira Alée|Sidney Atwood|Pablo Muñoz|Marcela Marzolo
Absenteeism prevention in preschools in Chile: Impact from a quasi-experimental evaluation of 2011–2017 Ministry of Education data
Brigham and Women's Hospital|Harvard University|Fundación Chile|Fundación Chile|Brigham and Women's Hospital|Harvard University|Fundación Chile|Fundación Chile
introduction 2007 promote social equity chile expanded coverage subsidies early childhood education ece fundacin educacional oportunidad ofe aimed improve ece quality professional development program teachers school leaders un buen comienzo ubc experimental evaluation showed high levels absenteeism moderated ubcs impact despite moderate large positive impacts preschool quality children attended frequently experienced positive impacts targeted language literacy skills 2012 ofe began prioritizing attendance promotion chronic absenteeism prevention methods using breakthrough series collaborative bts combines continuous quality improvement methods networked peer learning ofe tested theory change several innovations including absenteeism committees comprised school teams families new realtime data platform set universal targeted strategies apply families risk chronic absenteeism 20142015 ofe expanded ubc program nineteen schools chiles vi region five prioritized attendance promotion study describes intervention strategies bts implementation approach use publicly available ministry education databases analyze rates absences chronic absenteeism public preschools chiles vi region 2011 2017 n 1218 children per year 63689 childmonths data comparing rates ubc schools prioritized attendance n 5 ubc schools prioritize attendance n 14 nonubc schools n 27 results children missed average 140144 schooldays rates chronic absenteeism 509542 statistical process control charts show initial increase percentage days absent per child month 134 163 ubc schools prioritizing attendance followed decrease 129 percentage children chronic absenteeism decreased 542 35 interrupted time series analyses suggest reductions attributed ubc participation discussion study 1 replicates findings prior research indicating absenteeism rates sufficiently high among chilean preschoolers diminish eces potential benefits 2 demonstrates effectiveness multilevel strategies implemented using continuous improvement methods networked peer learning promote attendance reduce chronic absenteeism