Israeli Principals’ Considerations Regarding the Actions They Take to Prevent Student Absenteeism

Despite the high prevalenceof student absenteeism and its wide range of negative consequences, the existing research on the role of school principals in combating student absenteeism is scant. The current study sought to understand the considerations of principals regarding the actions they take to prevent student absenteeism. Study participants were 22 Israeli school principals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed thatIsraeli principals rarely took actions whose direct aim was to combat student absenteeism. They viewed their impact on student absenteeism as indirect and focused on combating severe student absenteeism. Implications and further research are discussed.