Chronic Absenteeism Is Still Sky-High — And It’s Holding Our Kids Back

Why schools are struggling with student attendance, what the data really shows, and what we can do next

The numbers are staggering. During the 2021–22 school year, nearly one in three students in the United States was chronically absent — meaning they missed 10% or more of school days. That’s about 18 days a year. By the following school year, the national rate dipped slightly to 28%. But let’s be honest: 28% is not recovery. It’s a crisis.

And despite the slow improvement, chronic absenteeism persists nationwide. In fact, 20 states reported that more than 30% of their students missed at least three weeks of school in 2022–23. This isn’t a pocketed issue. It’s a nationwide shift in school engagement — one that started during the pandemic but hasn’t returned to pre-COVID norms.

So, what’s going on? And why does this matter so much for learning, wellbeing, and long-term outcomes?

Let’s dig in.

What Is Chronic Absenteeism, Really?

Chronic absenteeism is typically defined as missing 10% or more of school for any reason — excused or unexcused. This isn’t just truancy. It includes:

• Illness
• Family responsibilities
• Anxiety or avoidance
• Transportation challenges
• Disconnection from school
• Caregiving roles
• Housing instability

The key insight school psychologists emphasize: kids don’t miss school “just because.” Absences reflect a deeper mix of academic, social, emotional, and environmental challenges. Explore the figure below for the Dept of Ed.

Why Chronic Absenteeism Is a Big Deal

Let’s be clear: missing school isn’t just a logistics issue. It’s a developmental one.

⏳ Lost instructional time adds up fast

Research shows that children chronically absent from preschool through second grade are far less likely to read at grade level by third grade. And missing this milestone carries real consequences: students who don’t read on grade level by third grade are four times more likely not to graduate high school.

📉 Absenteeism erodes connection

School isn’t just academics. It’s where students build relationships with peers, teachers, coaches, counselors, and caring adults. When kids miss school regularly, they lose their social anchors — making re-engagement even harder.

⚠️ Absenteeism deepens inequities

Chronic absenteeism hits some students harder than others:

• Low-income students
• Students with disabilities
• Students facing mental health challenges
• Students of color
• Students in unstable housing
• Students with transportation barriers

The disparities are stark but the overall levels are high enough that every group is struggling. That alone should alarm us.

So What’s Driving All This?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, chronic absenteeism is rarely the result of one factor. It’s a web of interconnected challenges:

1. Student disengagement: After years of disruption, some students feel disconnected from school routines, relationships, and motivation.

2. Lack of access to supports: Family stress, unmet mental health needs, and limited student services amplify attendance challenges.

3. Health and caregiving burdens: Family illness, child health concerns, and navigating when to send a sick child to school all shape attendance choices.

4. Transportation instability: Buses, routes, and safety concerns — especially for older students — are a major attendance barrier in many districts.

5. Pandemic-shifted norms: The pandemic unintentionally taught families that school can be flexible. Re-establishing structure is taking time.

A Path Forward: What Schools, Districts, and States Can Do

The Department of Education has laid out several concrete action steps. Here’s what they mean for the school-psych community and educators on the ground.

For States: Build Better Data Systems

States can:

• Create statewide attendance dashboards
• Include chronic absenteeism in accountability systems
• Help districts target supports where patterns are emerging

Early detection saves students from falling months — or years — behind.

For Districts: Join the Attendance Solutions Network

More than 200 districts are already participating. The network offers:

• No-cost technical assistance
• A peer learning community
• Evidence-based attendance strategies

Districts can also work with the Department of Transportation to improve safe, reliable transit to school—a real game changer for families without stable transportation.

For Schools: Provide Clear, Supportive Guidance to Families

Schools can:

• Share resources on when to send students to school with mild symptoms
• Use IES-recommended strategies like early warning systems and mentoring
• Implement text-message “nudges” proven to reduce absenteeism
• Sustain attendance supports beyond ESSER funds with federal resource guides

These are not punitive approaches. They are connection-focused, supportive, and evidence-based — exactly the direction school psychology has long advocated for.

The Message Students Need to Hear

The Department puts it simply: Students need to be in school. But the real work is helping families get there.

Chronic absenteeism is not a moral failing. It’s a systems problem — and systems problems require coordinated, compassionate responses.

With clear communication, strong student-family supports, reliable transportation, proactive mental health services, and data-driven early intervention, we can reverse this trend.

The good news? We already know what works. The challenge now is scaling it.