School District Leave Policies, Teacher Absenteeism, and Student Achievement

This paper addresses how provisions that address leave usage in teacher contracts influence teacher absences from the classroom, how teacher absences influence student absenteeism, and how teacher and student absenteeism influence student test score performance. Based on an extensive data collection effort conducted by the authors, it presents an econometric analysis using data from over 700 school districts in New York State in 1986-87. It concludes that changing some provisions (e.g., increasing the number of unused leave days teachers can cumulate and "cash in" at retirement) may simultaneously benefit teachers, students, and taxpayers.