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Enhancing Kindergarten Attendance Through Text Communication

Improve kindergarten attendance by utilizing text messages to engage parents, address barriers, and build positive habits early on. Personalized messages, weekly outreach, and support tips contribute to reducing chronic absenteeism. Cost-effective and time-efficient method with positive outcomes.

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Enhancing Kindergarten Attendance Through Text Communication

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  1. Connect-Text: Text-message communication to improve kindergarten attendance Lindsay C. Page, University of Pittsburgh Ken smythe-Leistico, seton hill university

  2. Connect-Text goal • To improve kindergarten attendance by using two-way text message communication to increase parent understanding of attendance patterns and to identify and address family barriers to daily school attendance.

  3. Why kindergarten? • To address high rates of kindergarten chronic absenteeism • To foster strong habits of attendance early on • To influence parent and household behaviors during a key period of transition when they may be particularly receptive to input

  4. Why text messaging? • Today, nearly all US adults (95%) own a cell phone & the majority of cell phone owners have plans with unlimited text service (Pew Research Center) • Texting effective and efficient strategy to engage parents

  5. How did it work? Personalized weekly text outreach • Utility messages: to provide information about school & related family/child opportunities in the community • Support messages: to provide positive messages about the importance of attending school and developmentally appropriate learning tips / topics • Individualized messages: to provide feedback on child’s attendance Kindergarten parents Time cost: ~ 30 minutes / week to support 2 classrooms Respond to engage and seek help

  6. Example messages • Utility message: Reminder Parent-Teacher Conference Week: No Classes Thursday (10/15-10/16). Message me to reserve a slot with your teacher. -- Jessie • Individualized message: Hi [PARENT NAME], we really missed [CHILD NAME] today. Hope [he/she] feels better tomorrow. The field trip to the zoo will be great. • Support message: Reading Rocks! Does [CHILD NAME] have a favorite book? Text back and we’ll share your fav with your teacher.

  7. Parents engagement with texts • Gratitude for outreach • Questions about school • Seeking help with basic / urgent needs: • Before- and after-school care / enrichment • Transportation / shelter / housing • Basic resources (clothing) • Household items (washing machine) • Parents had option to engage in either English or Spanish

  8. Chronic absenteeism was substantially lower in year of implementation

  9. Thank you. lpage@pitt.edu @linzcpage

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