connecting people and place: improving communities through integrated data systems public school...

Connecting People and Place: Improving Communities through Integrated Data Systems

Public School Absenteeism in Pittsburgh, PA

Cross-site Project of the National Neighborhood

Indicators Partnership and Annie E. Casey Foundation

Sabina Deitrick, PhDUniversity Center for Social and Urban ResearchUniversity of PittsburghUAA annual meeting, San Antonio, TX20 March 2014

University Center For Social and Urban Research

This presentation:• School Absenteeism and this project• Integrated Data System

– Allegheny County Department of Human Services Data Warehouse

– Pittsburgh Neighborhood and Community Information System

• Early results• Project going forward


Pittsburgh Public Schools Chronic Absenteeism

School% of Students Chronically

Absent* in the First Semester: 2012-13

% of Students Chronically Absent* in

the First Semester: 2013-14

Change

District 27.7% 26.0% -1.7%Westinghouse Academy 6-12 64.8% 60.2% -4.6%Perry High School 59.3% 63.2% 3.8%Carrick High School 51.9% 50.5% -1.4%Brashear High School 49.9% 45.7% -4.2%Spring Hill K-5 35.6% 24.3% -11.3%Schiller 6-8 34.3% 29.7% -4.6%South Brook 6-8 34.1% 30.0% -4.1%Online Academy 33.0% 22.3% -10.7%Woolslair K-5 32.6% 20.3% -12.3%Uprep 6-12 At Milliones 30.9% 45.5% 14.7%Arlington K-8 30.8% 34.1% 3.4%South Hills 6-8 29.9% 27.3% -2.6%Allderdice High School 29.6% 25.0% -4.6%King K-8 29.6% 30.3% 0.7%Miller K-5 29.6% 23.5% -6.1% School change in top 10

School change in bottom 10


Policy problem: School absenteeism• Much work done on student attendance (Chang & Romero, 2008)

• Chronic absenteeism (≥10% missed school days for any reason)– Students miss learning opportunities

– School performance suffers as students progress through school

– Exhibit academic and other problems

• Traditional school views– Truancy and “unlawful/unexcused” absences and policies

– “Average Daily Attendance” – doesn’t unveil individual impacts

• Awareness and “School Attendance Matters”– Conference to build awareness and develop solutions among professionals

– October 2013 – University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County United Way


Results of Action Plans to work together

• Top In-School Factors

1. Bullying

2. Teacher/student relations

3. School structure/culture

4. Academics

5. Lack of transportation

• Top Out-of-School Factors

1. Lack of parent support/urgency

2. Basic needs not met

3. Home/family issues

4. Health issues (family included)

5. Violent/unsafe community

6. Lack of transportation


Pre-1996:Over 80

separate client based systems

October, 2000:Electronic Client and

Provider System (eCAPS) built to join

multiple systems onto one operating platform

April, 2001:Data Warehouse built

for the purpose of unduplicating clients

April, 2002:DW Bridge and Unduplicated

Clients tables built January, 2005:Rematching Effort Completed: 15,000

duplicate client records merged

January, 2003:First External Source

Imported (Department of Public Welfare)

December, 2004:11 Data Sources

Imported into the DW

January, 2006:ReportNet Goes into Production

for Internal Users

May, 2006:Cubes Move to

ReportNetExternal User

ReportNet Access set up

October, 2007:DHS Moves to Near Real Time

Data Warehouse

April, 2007:DW –

Master Client Index Integration

eCAPSAAA

4/2001

2000

19962001

20072006

2005

2004

2003

2002CYF Parents

6/2001

MATPALDA

9/2002

DPWLIHEAP1/2003

CCBHO7/2003

FSC8/2003

AAA (SAMS)9/2004

HACP3/2006

Probation & Parole5/2006

CSBG7/2006

HSDF8/2006

ACJ10/2006

JPO6/2007

ACHA1/2006

DOC4/2006

January, 2007:Client matching

algorithm merges 24,000 duplicate client

records

2008

2010

November, 2007: Cubes built from real-

time DW (Daily, weekly and monthly)

December ,2007: DW jobs

automated through scheduling tool

JPO Placement

5/2008

Medical Examiner7/2008

CSP6/2008

July 2008: QuickVue

CYF Placement

4/2008

April 2008: CYF Reports in Cognos8

Additional CYF

Parents11/2006

PPS10/2009

DATA WAREHOUSE TIMELINE

Allegheny County Department of Human Services Data Warehouse

DHS signed a MOU with the three school districts:

• Directory information• Educational outcomes for kids:

DHS is legal custodian All other kids action research

agreement • Consent

University Center For Social and Urban ResearchDATA WAREHOUSE DATA SOURCES

Allegheny County Housing Authority Allegheny County Jail Allegheny County Medical

Examiner’s Office Department of Public Welfare Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh Juvenile Probation Pittsburgh Public Schools Clairton Public Schools Pre-trial Services Adult Probation Adult/family court Aging Children, Youth and Families Community Service Block Grant

Drug & Alcohol Early Intervention Family Support Centers HeadStart Human Services Development Fund Homeless/Housing Low Income House Energy Assistance

Program Maximum Participation Project Medical Assistance Transportation

Program Mental Health Mental Retardation System of Care Initiative

Allegheny County Department of Human Services Data Warehouse

Source: Allegheny County Department of Human Services


Connecting People and Place -- Data Sharing between DHS Data Warehouse and PNCIS


Pittsburgh Public Schools

Students: 26,292; free or reduced lunch = 70%Schools: 56 K-5=23; K-8=14; 6-8=7; high schools=4; other=8

Clairton City School District

Students: 792; free or reduced lunch = 87%Schools: Elementary and middle/high school)

Woodland Hills School District

Students: 3,992; free or reduced lunch = 70%Schools: 8 K-6=5; K-8=1; 7-8=1; high school=1

Source: PA Department of Education 2012-13 School-Year Profiles

Allegheny County School Districts in Study


Kids in Human Services• Prior involvement with Human Services

– 53% of Pittsburgh Public Schools students– 60% of Woodland Hills School District– 64% of Clairton School District

• Involvement with Human Services in past year (2012)– 36% Pittsburgh Public Schools– 46% for both Woodland Hills and Clairton students


Preliminary Results• Students with DHS involvement in 2012 were 41% - 85% more likely to

have worse attendance than students who did not.

• Living in public housing was not a significant for K – 4th graders, but students from 5th – 12th grade were 15% - 29% more likely to have worse attendance than those who did not.

• Students in 6th – 12th grades with juvenile justice involvement were 114% - 164% more likely to have worse attendance than those not involved in juvenile justice.

• While attendance by race of student (black/white) is significantly different, when accounting for other predictors, black students between 3rd – 8th grade were less likely to have worse attendance.


Research Question FrameworkFactor Community School Property Family Student

Safety CrimeEx-offenders

IncidentsBullyingBuilding condition

Vacant propertyProperty conditionCode violations

Specific incidentsInvolvement with

justice system

Involvement with justice system

Walking paths

Instability Teacher turnoverPrincipal turnover

Tax delinquencyForeclosureVacant propertyAffordabilityHome ownership

statusFinancial distress

RelocationHomelessnessChange in

compositionParent in prisonFinances

School changeMode of travel

Health PollutionTeen birthsFood availability

Building condition Age of housingHousing conditionPublic housing

Mode of travel

School PovertyRace

Principal stabilitySuspension policiesTeacher attendanceStudent performanceSpecial education

Participation in school activities

PovertyRaceSpecial education

Employment Labor force participation

Employed family members

Transit access

Work patterns and industry


Human Services Data Sharing Community Stakeholders Group Type of Organization Organization

School District

Clairton School District Pittsburgh School District Elizabeth Forward School District Steel Valley School District Gateway School District Sto-Rox School District McKeesport School District Woodland Hills School District

Educational Intermediary

A+ Schools Allegheny Intermediate Unit Pittsburgh Promise

Private Foundation Buhl Foundation Grable Foundation Heinz Endowments Pittsburgh Foundation RK Mellon Foundation

Government Agency Children's Court Allegheny County Department of Human Services Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh Juvenile Probation

Other Nonprofit Organizations

Allies for Children Community Care Behavioral Health Homewood Children's Village KidsVoice United Way Urban League

Higher Education Institution

Duquesne University University of Pittsburgh


Community engagement in research• Steps engaged in so far and to be engaged in:

– Identification of primary intended users and formation of place-based design & advisory group

– Situational analysis

– Focusing the inquiry

• Stakeholder engagement– Partner interests

– Additional methods

– Connecting findings into district action systems for planning, policy, design and implementation

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