First Advisor

Chris Borgmeier

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership: Special and Counselor Education

Department

Special Education

Language

English

Abstract

This study employed an improvement science methodology, using plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles of improvement, to address the persistent problem of chronic absenteeism within the Gateway School District, where annual absentee rates hovered around 45% and were historically 10% higher for students with disabilities compared to their nondisabled peers. The leadership team engaged in a thorough review of parent and student perceptions of school and aligned findings with Chang’s (2019) conditions for learning framework to pinpoint actionable areas for growth. These findings were then organized into a theory of action using a driver diagram approach. This foundational work led to the identification of two change ideas, which will be studied using an improvement science approach to assess their impact on attendance: the implementation of dedicated attendance teams to review school-level absentee data bimonthly, and the proactive use of positive and supportive messaging to communicate with parents when a student’s attendance falls below 90%. The goal of this study was to see the rate of chronic absenteeism for all K–2 students decreased to under 27%, and the attendance gap between all K–2 students and K–2 students with disabilities to reduce to less than 8% by December 2025. Keywords: improvement science, chronic absenteeism, attendance, disability, PDSA cycle.

Rights

© 2026 Melissa Glover

Licensed under CC BY 4.0

Comments

Dissertation in Practice submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Special and Counselor Education.

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