Data from over 40 states shows chronic absenteeism still far above pre-pandemic levels

By SHARON LURYE Associated Press

(AP) — In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, absenteeism levels soared in schools around the country. In the 2021-2022 school year, more than a quarter of students missed so much school that they were considered chronically absent.

A new analysis shows absenteeism improved slightly in the 2022-2023 school year, but remains above pre-pandemic levels. For almost every state, chronic absenteeism rates are far higher than the 2018-2019 school year, according to the analysis by the AP in collaboration with Stanford economist Thomas Dee.

A student is chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school year, whether excused or unexcused — typically adding up to more than three weeks of lost learning time. The reasons can vary: struggling with mental health, staying home with minor illnesses, avoiding a bully, tending to a job or family members, feeling disinterested in school, or simply failing to see the point of regular attendance. Education experts see high absenteeism rates as a major red flag; they’re considered a sign students are falling behind in school.

The AP is sharing data on absenteeism gathered from over 40 states in the 2022-2023 school year. The data includes 42 states, plus D.C.

Across the 42 states and D.C., 25% of students remained chronically absent in 2022-2023 — about 12 million children total. That’s only a slight improvement from 28% in 2021-2022 and far above pre-pandemic levels, when the national rate stood at 15%.

The data shows disengagement from regular school attendance is a long-term problem. Almost every state improved its chronic absenteeism rate from spring 2022 to spring 2023. At the same time, almost every state remains far worse off than before the pandemic, as schools struggle to get students back to maintaining regular attendance. Four states even saw their absenteeism rates increase from 2022 to 2023 — Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Oregon.

Chronically absent students are at higher risk of illiteracy and eventually dropping out. They also miss the meals, counseling, and socialization provided at school.

Many of the reasons kids missed school early in the pandemic are still firmly in place: financial hardship, transportation problems, mild illness, and mental health struggles.

A new report from USC social scientists, based on interviews with around 2,500 parents/caregivers nationwide, finds a strong connection between children’s mental health and school absenteeism. Nearly one in four students on pace to be chronically absent in the first half of the 2023-2024 school year scored highly on a questionnaire that measures emotional and behavioral problems such as depression, hyperactivity, and fighting with others. Age and gender were both major factors. Pre-teen boys showed high levels of hyperactivity or behavioral problems, while teenage girls struggled more with anxiety and depression.

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