Michael A. Gottfried

As reported in 'Education Week,' Gottfried finds chronic student absenteeism disrupts classroom dynamics, damages teacher-student relationships, and steadily erodes teacher job satisfaction.

Michael Gottfried states that rising student absenteeism lowers teacher job satisfaction, stressing that addressing absenteeism is essential for improving student outcomes and retaining teachers.

Michael Gottfried stresses that students are more likely to attend school when they connect with teachers who share their cultural background, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement.

Michael Gottfried emphasizes that cutting school bus routes significantly harms student learning by increasing absenteeism, stating that the removal of such a critical transportation mechanism during the absenteeism crisis is "hugely problematic" for families relying on it to ensure consistent attendance.

Michael Gottfried says that kids are more likely to attend school if they identify with their educators.

Michael Gottfried discusses the rise in public school absenteeism, and how it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the change because of correlated factors.

Michael Gottfried cautions that one cannot scale down a nationally representative sample to say something specific about one place or city.

A study by Michael A. Gottfried finds that early elementary school teachers report feeling less close to chronically absent students and view them less positively, even when those students don’t cause trouble in the classroom.

Gerald Campano will also be honored with a lifetime achievement award for his professional achievements and mentorship work.

Michael A. Gottfried explains the impact of student absences on their peers, citing his research that shows when 10% of a students' classmates are absent on a given day, the student is more likely to be absent the next day.

Michael Gottfried emphasizes the role of school environments in student absenteeism. He notes students with disabilities feel more connected and attend more in inclusive settings than in segregated ones, underscoring the importance of creating hospitable learning environments for all students.

The Penn GSE professor and applied economist emphasizes the critical role buses play in ensuring attendance and academic success.

In an era dominated by educational technology, Michael Gottfried redirects attention to a critical issue: the profound impact of student absenteeism on academic performance.

Chronic absenteeism and truancy are on the rise, hindering student success. In our debut episode of the Educator’s Playbook podcast, we speak with two experts on the issue.

When students miss school, it negatively impacts their learning and social skills. Michael Gottfried says the ripple effects also interrupt learning for peers and strain teachers.

There is a “linear relationship” between school attendance and academics, says Penn GSE professor Michael Gottfried.

Michael Gottfried conducted a study on the correlation between school bus transportation and chronic absence, finding that children taking the bus are less likely to be chronically absent.

Michael Gottfried speaks on the ways districts can both recognize and support chronically absent students. Gottfried lists examples to both spot patterns of absenteeism and provide support systems in order to prevent it.

Michael Gottfried says that Philadelphia’s rise in unexcused absences is a sign of student disengagement triggered by a return from remote learning to an in-person classroom.

Michael Gottfried outlines the four distinct ways that students are impacted by chronic absence, as well as the factors that contribute to it.

Penn GSE’s Michael Gottfried shares four ways in which communities can lower absenteeism rates and increase student engagement.

In partnership with co-authors from Brown University, Penn GSE’s Michael Gottfried has compiled an evidence brief providing strategies for combatting growing absenteeism numbers.

Michael Gottfried speaks about mental health absences in schools. Unexcused absences can lead to truancy, get kids into trouble, get parents into trouble, and can lead to juvenile justice outcomes, he says. Schools need to keep careful track of students who take repeated mental health days.

In new research published in the Journal of Sleep Research, Penn GSE’s Michael A. Gottfried and Texas Tech University’s J. Jacob Kirksey find that a regular bedtime improves kindergarteners’ attendance and decreases the likelihood they will be chronically absent.

Michael Gottfried said COVID-19-related school absences may disrupt all students’ learning. “Part of me is just like let’s just go back to Zoom for everyone,” he said. “I want to be in person more than anyone else. That is, the last thing I want to do is sit on Zoom and teach. So I feel for these kids. But what kind of learning is it going to be without a real fallback plan in place?”

In new research published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Professor Michael Gottfried, along with J. Jacob Kirksey (Texas Tech University) and Tina L. Fletcher (Penn GSE), concluded that Latinx students with Latinx teachers attend school more, a relationship that does not exist for white students.

In new research published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Michael Gottfried (Penn GSE), J. Jacob Kirksey (Texas Tech) and Tina L. Fletcher (Penn) examine the impact of having a same-race teacher on attendance.

Michael Gottfried said it’s difficult to quantify how school is going for students amid the pandemic. “We’re sort of building the plane as we fly it,” he said. “Everything’s up in the air now. Everything’s been disrupted just from the measurement side.”