Overview

• Colorado reported 28.4% of students chronically absent in 2024–25, or more than 244,600 children, as average daily attendance slipped to 91.4%.
• Statewide improvement stalled after two better years, with Denver Public Schools rising to 38.1% chronically absent and Jeffco to 26.6%, though 105 of 178 districts saw declines.
• Gaps persisted across student groups, as Hispanic students posted the largest increase to 38.4%, and English learners remained among those with the highest rates.
• Maryland plans monthly absenteeism tracking and a three‑year goal to cut chronic absence by 15 percentage points, with Baltimore City still near 49% in 2023–24.
• Educators cite shifts since the pandemic—more sick‑day caution, mental‑health days, mid‑year travel, work obligations, and immigration‑enforcement fears—while targeted school programs like York International’s “attendance refocus” and Lincoln Elementary’s family‑engagement model have produced local gains that require significant staff time.