Chronic Absenteeism in Schools Doubles Since Pandemic

Chronic absenteeism in schools across the United States has doubled since before the pandemic.

This is according to a recent study released by the ReturnToLearn Tracker. The study shows chronic absenteeism, which the tracker defines as a student who has missed 10% or more of the school year, has gone from 15% in 2018 to 29% in 2022. This is especially true in Fleetwood, with rates having gone from a 15% average in 2018 to a 26% average in 2022.

Fleetwood has seen chronic absenteeism double in the past two years, having jumped from 7% in 2021 to 19% in 2022.

Test scores have also dropped in schools across the nation, demonstrating the importance of regular student attendance.

In addition to poor standardized test scores, chronic absenteeism has also proven to be damaging to grades. Chronic absenteeism is also a good predictor of who will drop out of high school.

Dropping out of high school has been linked to “poor labor market prospects, diminished health, and increased involvement in the criminal justice system,” according to the Biden administration.

The Biden administration’s Council of Economic Advisers released a blog stating that chronic absenteeism requires an “all-hands-on-deck approach” and that the administration is “focused on the issue of chronic absenteeism.”

According to an anonymous freshman at Fleetwood Area High School, chronic absenteeism has had a direct impact on Fleetwood.

“Half the kids in my class never show up… I also never show up,” said the student. “People do not care anymore.”

“I think the absurd amount of absences in this school is getting out of hand,” Gavin Krick, a sophomore at Fleetwood, said.

Bessemer Elementary School, an elementary school in North Carolina, has had a 30% reduction in chronic absenteeism. The school attributes this reduction to the telehealth service, which allows students to see a healthcare professional in school rather than parents taking their children out of school for minor issues.

“It would probably be beneficial for students that miss a lot of time, but at the same time, kids just need off some days, whether it be mental health reasons or something else,” Alyssa Keller, a junior at Fleetwood Area High School, said.