Absenteísmo docente em escolas públicas paulistas: dimensão e fatores associados

Abstract

This is the first article in the Brazilian literature that analyzes the determinants of teacher’s absenteeism. We use administrative information from São Paulo Education Office, School Census and SARESP 2007 and estimate a counting model that relates teacher’s absences to their attributes, as well school and students’ characteristics. In this year, 71% of the professionals were absent at least once to work and 26 school days were lost in the median institution. The results show that absences are associated with health problems, the cost of opportunity and the chances of being punished. School units with poorer students and working conditions suffer more from absences. There is evidence that the institutional environment affects the decision to be absent. Heterogeneous effects show that policies to reduce absenteeism should consider the school and teachers’ profile.

Keywords:
Absenteeism; Teacher attendance; Teacher absence