See which school districts have the most absentee teachers.
Related Slideshow: Teacher Absences in RI
The below slides show how many teachers were absent for more than 10 days in the 2011 to 2012 school year, using the most recently available data from the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education. The number of teachers and absences are measured in terms of full-time equivalents (FTEs). That means, for example, that two part-time teachers would amount to one FTE. The Department of Education used the same method to calculate absences. The department’s definition of absences does not include absences for professional development. Districts are ordered from lowest to highest absentee rates.
Total Number of Teachers Absent 10 or More Days: 74.5
% Absent: 20.3%
NOTE: Figures for this district were omitted from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights database. Alternative figures were obtained from other sources. The number of students and teachers was obtained from the InfoWorks database maintained by the Rhode Island Department of Education. The number of absentee teachers provided here is a rough estimated average calculated indirectly using the statewide average and information available for the other districts. Federal authorities East Greenwich had been left out of their database because the data it provided had not been certified. Local officials were not able to respond to a records request in time for publication.
Total Number of Teachers Absent 10 or More Days: 74.5
% Absent: 29.3%
NOTE: Figures for this district were omitted from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights database. Alternative figures were obtained from other sources. The number of students and teachers was obtained from the InfoWorks database maintained by the Rhode Island Department of Education. The number of absentee teachers provided here is a rough estimated average calculated indirectly using the statewide average and information available for the other districts.
However, the district was able to provide alternative figures for the 2013-2014 school year. They indicate that out of a full-time equivalent of 137.5 teachers, 11, or 8 percent, were absent 10 or more days. (The figure for teachers provided by the district is significantly lower than InfoWorks because InfoWorks includes certified in-classroom teachers while the InfoWorks number represents all certified teachers whether or not they are in the classroom.) The district did not have the corresponding figures for the 2011-2012 school year. Federal authorities said the district was omitted because the data it provided had not been certified.
Total Number of Teachers Absent 10 or More Days: 40
% Absent: 35.3%
NOTE: The figures for Foster-Glocester initially appeared far higher, with 102 teachers absent. The district said the number had been inflated because every single type of absence was erroneously included in the data the district submitted to federal authorities. Included in Foster-Glocester’s filing were: field trips, professional development, curriculum writing, out-of-school meetings, state Department of Education meetings, and in-school meetings for special education students. Other districts did not necessarily include all these absences in their filings. The above figure is a corrected amount the district provided.
Total Number of Teachers Absent 10 or More Days: 95
% Absent: 65.7%
NOTE: The Smithfield School District told GoLocalProv that its rate of teacher absenteeism is actually lower that what the federal database indicates because it includes professional development days. The error originated with Smithfield itself: the district says the software program it uses to track absences includes professional development days. However, the district was unable to provide a revised figure in time for publication. The above figures are those available from the database maintained by Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education.
Total Number of Teachers Absent 10 or More Days: 20
% Absent: 74.6%
NOTE: New Shoreham’s high absentee rate appears to be connected to the school district’s small size. Federal data does not appear to correct for this factor.
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