A Unified Call to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

In January 2024, EdTrust President and CEO Denise Forte testified at a House Oversight Committee meeting on pandemic recovery. Six months later, it resulted in an important, across-the-aisle event to improve one of the most concerning and lingering problems after COVID-19: chronic absenteeism.

At the hearing, Denise found common ground with Nat Malkus, a research fellow in education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a group whose advocacy agenda doesn’t often match EdTrust’s.

“One thing we noted was there’s a real similarity around the pressing need to address chronic absenteeism, to understand what were the forces at hand here, but also to get really clear that we can do something about it,” Denise said at a panel event July 17 to announce a new campaign to reduce chronic absenteeism. “I thought, this is a unique opportunity with two organizations and two people that don’t always think alike on many things. But on this one, we can come together.”

Chronic absenteeism, or missing more than 10% of school days, skyrocketed across all student groups in the wake of COVID-19, and has remained stubbornly high even as the pandemic has waned. The causes are varied, from health or transportation challenges to unclear standards about when students should come to class if they’re sick. Additionally, school climates often aren’t welcoming to students of color, who experience excessive use of exclusionary and harmful discipline practices, curriculum that isn’t diverse and engaging, and a lack of authentic and culturally responsive family engagement. These factors only exacerbate long-standing trust issues students and families have with school systems and the adults who lead them.

Denise and Nat came together with Hedy Chang of Attendance Works to create a national call for state leaders to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% over five years. Meeting this goal would mean millions more students regularly attending class — vital not only for supporting students’ overall well-being, but for helping to support their academic outcomes. Attendance Works has launched a web page where state leaders can publicly commit to this effort.

“State leaders are responsible for highlighting chronic absenteeism as an issue and setting the conditions for schools to address it immediately,” Malkus said. “This is one of those places where the bully pulpit at the state level can raise priorities and that can trickle down.”

Importantly, the 50% reduction over five years goal is clear and ambitious — but achievable.

“The numbers cannot stand if we are going to attack what is most definitely one of the serious challenges we have to academic achievement, and we’re going to have to get it done. By setting out both a goal and a timeline for getting it done, that’s our north star,” Denise said.

“Leaders are going to have to be particularly clear, targeted, and creative in how they fund chronic absenteeism work as federal COVID relief grants that paid for much of it are ending,” Chang warned. “It’s those folks that have a sustained commitment over time who really make a difference.”

The causes of chronic absenteeism are individual to each student, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing it, but there are evidence-based strategies states can use. Strong relationships matter, for instance, and a rigorous curriculum where students can see themselves may be a stronger attraction to school, particularly for older students, Denise said.

Punitive measures aren’t effective to address attendance issues; instead, schools should be aware that chronic absence is often hidden and is a reflection of the school and community environment. Leaders should understand that boosting attendance requires prevention and early intervention, alongside authentic partnerships with students, families, and communities.

A second panel featured district and state leaders from both Republican- and Democratic-led states that have made headway in addressing chronic absenteeism to showcase how they have worked to combat this problem. Effective programs range from a public call from the governor in Virginia, to home visits that uncover needed wraparound services, and new career and technical education offerings that provide more engaging and relevant educational experiences for students in Topeka, Kansas.

“We ask parents, what gets in the way? Washing clothes, health issues… the more you can tie in those pieces for social-emotional health and for college and careers, you will change the trajectory of your community,” said Topeka Superintendent Tiffany Anderson.

In Rhode Island, the state has focused on building a public dashboard with daily data on chronic absence, and encouraging not only elected leaders — including mayors, the governor, and members of Congress — to focus on the issue, but also work with trusted community voices, like pediatricians and faith leaders, to share the importance of regular attendance with parents.

“Everybody’s at the table because they [parents] trust that community in a different way,” said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green.

Ultimately, it will take sustained work by everyone, from parents to school leaders to advocates, to ensure that all students are supported to regularly attend school.

Denise said, “I really encourage all of you who are also advocates to think about what role you can play in addressing this…and coming together to identify that we need a goal in place to address chronic absenteeism should be first and foremost.”