Overview

• Chronic absenteeism in US schools has almost doubled since the pandemic, with 28% of students missing a significant portion of their education in the 2021-22 school year, up from 14.8% in the 2018-19 school year.
• Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10% of school days in a year, which equates to 18 days in a typical 180-day school year.
• Chronic absenteeism is linked to lower academic achievement, future workforce concerns, mental health risks, and long-term economic disruptions.
• Chronic absenteeism is particularly prevalent in high poverty areas and among disadvantaged students, including those with disabilities and those from lower-income households.
• Efforts to address chronic absenteeism include home visit programs, school attendance plans with tiered interventions, and providing incentives for attendance.