The reasons a student might miss school can be complex, and may involve individual, school or systematic factors. While it’s likely every student might miss a few days of school here or there, concerns arise when it is a chronic issue, or when students miss 10% or more of the academic year.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, absenteeism rates have increased: The 2021-22 academic year had more than double the amount of students labeled as chronically absent compared to the 2018-19 year, and while rates have trended downward in more recent years, they remain much higher than pre-pandemic norms. The number is worse in urban areas, where an estimated 30% of students can be categorized as chronically absent.
Two studies led by Michigan State University scholars examined how two variables relate to school attendance: mental health and perceptions of school climate.