What to Know about Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism has emerged as a critical issue in US public schools, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Deemed the “Long-COVID” for public schools, absenteeism appears to be an unintended consequence of the pandemic and a stubborn issue to remedy (Malkus, 2024). To highlight this issue, we provide a concise overview of national trends in chronic absenteeism, identify schools most affected, and explore the academic consequences of sustained absenteeism.

We found chronic absenteeism rates have increased post-pandemic and remain high, with a majority of schools experiencing high or extreme rates of absenteeism. Absenteeism is higher in lower-income schools and is particularly high for schools serving students of color in urban settings. Schools with higher rates of absenteeism show lower test scores over time.

These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address educational disparities and support student engagement.