School absenteeism and academic achievement: Does the timing of the absence matter?
Open accessAbstract
A large body of research demonstrates that school absenteeism is detrimental to learning, academic achievement and educational outcomes. However, questions remain whether this relationship varies according to the timing and reasons of absenteeism. Using time-stamped administrative school attendance data among 62,841 students enrolled in secondary education, this study examined whether the association between school absenteeism and student's examination results at the end of the school year varies with the timing and reasons of absenteeism. The findings show that unexcused absenteeism, sickness absenteeism and school exclusion all have a negative impact on student's academic achievement. In addition, the findings suggested that unexcused absenteeism is more harmful at the beginning of the school year and at the end of the school year. Sickness absenteeism seems also more harmful at the end of the school year. In the discussion I elaborate on the implications of these findings for policy and practice.
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Absence from school impedes social-emotional development and academic performance and increases future risks such as unemployment, school dropout, and social exclusion.
“Conversely, the absence from school impedes socialemotional development, academic performance and poses future consequences such as unemployment and school dropout, increasing the risk of social exclusion”
From “So That You Can Feel Well”: Perspectives of Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties on Factors that Support School Attendance (2025) · cites this paper as Keppens, 2023
Cites
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“Unexcused absenteeism is known to be an important early warning signal in the process of school disengagement (Christenson et al., 2012; Fredricks et al., 2004; Henry et al., 2012; Keppens & Spruyt, 2020).”
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“Both are identified as crucial components for strengthening school engagement among youth (Jimerson et al., 2003).”
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“In addition, longitudinal research has found that for many students, non-attendance not only predicts subsequent absenteeism in later years, but is also related to many key academic and socio-emotional outcomes across high school and adult life (Ansari et al., 2020).”
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Enderle, C., Kreitz-Sandberg, S., Backlund, Å., Isaksson, J., Fredriksson, U., & Ricking, H. (2024) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2024.1405395 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
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“Conversely, the absence from school impedes social-emotional development, academic performance and poses future consequences such as unemployment and school dropout, increasing the risk of social exclusion (Ansari et al., 2020; Kearney et al., 2023; Keppens, 2023; Liu et al., 2021).”
- Authors
- Keppens, G.
- Affiliations
- Tilburg University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Keppens, Gil
- ORCID
- Keppens, Gil
- Venue
- Learning and Instruction
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-08
- Volume
- 86
- Pages
- 101769
- ISSN
- 0959-4752 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4361027065
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 4
- FWCI
- 41.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Learning and Instruction (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research portal (Tilburg University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (12Z9121N)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Youth Substance Use and School Attendance
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Educational Methods
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Outcomes and Influences
- Keywords
- school absenteeism, academic performance, sick leave, school exclusion, high school students, examination results
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