Since 2020, educators, policymakers, and families have grappled with the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on student learning and well-being. While pandemic recovery efforts are ongoing, one of the most persistent challenges has been chronic absenteeism. Nashville PEER hopes to understand this issue at its roots with a new $450,000 grant.
The project brings together a team from Vanderbilt University and Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) who will work collaboratively towards redesigning systems to improve student attendance in MNPS. Led by Vanderbilt faculty members, Joanne Golann, David Diehl, and Kayla Fike, and MNPS' Director of Attendance Services, Carol Brown, the project will explore avenues for the district to reduce chronic absenteeism. The team will conduct case studies of high schools, interviewing district staff, students and families, identifying bright spots and paths forward to improve student attendance and engagement. The study began in January 2025 and will continue over 18 months.
"Our team is excited to learn more about the different strategies the district has in place to address chronic absenteeism, and we look forward to working together to improve attendance systems and supports," said Golann, the lead researcher on the team.
Brown, who oversees attendance services at the district and who is the district sponsor of this research added, "We're excited to collaborate with PEER this year. The partnership is key to strengthening our tiered systems for preventing absenteeism and to developing sustainable, innovative support infrastructures for schools working closely with students and families."
Alongside other grantees, who are exploring issues such as pandemic learning recovery strategies, the future of tutoring programs, and district-level interventions, the findings will contribute to a growing body of evidence aimed at improving education outcomes in the post-pandemic era.
This project is funded through a grant from the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) Evidence Project and the Walton Family Foundation. Stay tuned to CRPE's Notes from the Evidence Project newsletter, where we and other grantees will share insights into the evolving landscape of pandemic recovery efforts. To learn more about the Evidence Project and the other grantees, see CRPE's announcement. You can also visit PEER's website to learn more about the project and follow PEER on LinkedIn for more news and updates.
