Date Approved

11-17-2025

Embargo Period

11-17-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Jo Ann Manning, Ed.D.

Committee Member 1

James Coaxum, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Carmelo Macarubbo Callueng, Ph.D.

Keywords

Chronic Absenteeism;Critical Race Theory;Cultural Responsive;Early Childhood;Parental Involvement;Transformative Research

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

Abstract Marilyn I. Dunham EVERY DAY COUNTS – A CRITICAL QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY EXAMINING BLACK PARENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PRESCHOOL SONS’ CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM 2025 - 2026 Jo Ann B. Manning, Ed.D. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership The purpose of this critical qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of Black parents regarding chronic absenteeism among Black male preschoolers. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002), the study sought to amplify parental voices and explore how systemic policies, school practices, home factors, and parental advocacy influence early attendance. Eight Black parents from an urban New Jersey preschool program participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were triangulated through interviews, document analysis, and reflexive journaling. Then, data were analyzed using a hybrid coding process that combined open, axial, and CRT-informed deductive coding. Findings revealed that absenteeism was influenced not only by health and family challenges but also by rigid sick-day rules, exclusionary discipline, and deficit-based assumptions about parental engagement. Parents described themselves as active advocates who prioritized their children’s learning, countering stereotypes of disengagement. Their narratives reflected several CRT tenets. The findings highlight the need for culturally responsive, equity-driven attendance policies that affirm family realities and parental voice (Milner, 2020). This study contributes to the growing body of research by centering Black parents’ perspectives and exposing systemic barriers to preschool attendance (Wint et al., 2022).

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