Causal Theory Planning

SAMPLE

  • Identify possible causal theories in each category for a single narrative statement.
  • Focus on what is in your control
  • Identify which causal theories are
  • Technical Problems: Easy to identify simple problems with quick solutions that an expert or authority can solve
  • Adaptive Challenges: Difficult to identify due to layered challenges, may require a change in practice, values or beliefs
  • Identify Actions for Technical Problems
  • Identify additional data needed for Root cause for Adaptive Challenges

Narrative Statement:
25% of all instances where students miss 5+ days in a marking period occur during 1st hour, which is a 15% increase over last year.
Related Causal Theory / Possible Action
Curriculum
Design and Implementation / Core courses taught during first hour saw fewer students with 5+ absences than elective courses. Students report that it is harder to make up work in these classes and that electives don’t really count for anything.
Infrastructure
Schedules, programming, and resources / Bus services were cut this year to all students within one mile of the school. The elementary school starts 30 minutes later than our building and parents with children in both schools tend to make one trip to drop off at both locations.
Instruction
Methods, materials, and resources / Classes in which the bulk of credit comes from in-class participation, labs, presentations, etc... reported fewer absences during first hour than those with utilizing independent work time and homework as the main sources of assessment and credit.
Leadership
Systemic planning and implementation, knowledge, skills, dispositions / Leaders did nothing to address those students with chronic absenteeism (especially during first hour) until April of this year.
Teachers
knowledge, skills, dispositions / The three teachers with highest levels of parent communication have fewer students with 5+ absences in first hour than all others.
Students
knowledge, skills, dispositions / Students do not understand the effects of missing part/all of first hour on their overall performance in the class.
Immediate Next Steps:

Causal Theory Planning SAMPLE.docx