Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Gloria J. Kieley

Committee Member

John Harrison

Abstract

The purpose of this thematic analysis was to understand the lived experiences of single Black grandparents raising their male grandchildren in the third grade who are absent from school. Due to the limited amount of data collected regarding absenteeism and Black grandparents, a qualitative methodology allowed the researcher to explore this family unit and gather an understanding of the firsthand experiences from the grandparents’ perspectives. In addition, this study attempted to identify a link between academic achievement, attendance, and behaviors that would help to reduce attendance problems. Currently, many people are in mental situations that are critical and cause numerous situations that they are unable to handle. Some reasons for this are that the biological parent is incarcerated, has a drug or alcohol problem, or is unemployed. Grandparents in greater numbers are raising their grandchildren.

The researcher recruited 10 grandparents and asked them to answer questions about their demographics, students’ attendance and students’ academic grades. Telephone and Zoom interviews were conducted to obtain data results for questions asked in this research study. The data showed that students who were absent from school struggled to pass school test exams. This research shows that students who fail in younger grades struggle in later grades, which could result in academic school failure and possible school dropout. However, if positive interventions were offered, such as tutoring, mental counseling, and grandparent training, they could aid in the improvement of student grades.

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