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Using Behavioral Insights to Improve Truancy Notifications

Author

Listed:
  • Lasky-Fink, Jessica

    (University of California, Berkeley)

  • Robinson, Carly

    (Harvard University)

  • Chang, Hedy

    (Attendance Works)

  • Rogers, Todd

    (Harvard Kennedy School)

Abstract

Many states mandate districts or schools notify parents when students have missed multiple unexcused days of school. We report a randomized experiment (N = 131,312) evaluating the impact of sending parents truancy notifications modified to target behavioral barriers that can hinder effective parental engagement. Modified truancy notifications that used simplified language, emphasized parental efficacy, and highlighted the negative incremental effects of missing school reduced absences by 0.07 days compared to the standard, legalistic, and punitively-worded notification--an estimated 40% improvement. This work illustrates how behavioral insights and randomized experiments can be used to improve administrative communications in education.

Suggested Citation

  • Lasky-Fink, Jessica & Robinson, Carly & Chang, Hedy & Rogers, Todd, 2019. "Using Behavioral Insights to Improve Truancy Notifications," Working Paper Series rwp19-026, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp19-026
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    File URL: https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/getFile.aspx?Id=2827
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Damgaard, Mette Trier & Nielsen, Helena Skyt, 2018. "Nudging in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 313-342.
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