Chronic absenteeism remains above pre-pandemic levels, new research asserts. The most probable cause: illness.
Superintendents nationwide are using a combination of strategies to combat chronic absenteeism. Meanwhile, nearly 25% of K12 students think being chronically absent isn’t a problem, according to a new RAND Corporation survey.
Perhaps related to this sentiment, the researchers estimate that 22% of students were chronically absent during the 2024-25 school year, a 3% increase from the previous school year. And while these figures are lower than the estimated 28% in 2021-22, rates are still significantly higher than the pre-pandemic rate of about 15%.
Furthermore, in roughly half of urban school districts, more than 30% of students were chronically absent, which is considerably higher than their rural or suburban counterparts.
All told, 82% of K12 students reported missing at least “some” school in 2024-25. By far, the most common reason they missed school was illness, according to 67% of students. Other reasons included:
- Anxiety or depression: 10%
- Overslept: 9%
- Lack of interest: 7%
- Had to care for a family member: 4%
- Lack of transportation: 3%
- Being too far behind on school work: 3%
- Work conflicts: 1%
“Taken altogether, these findings support the hypothesis that one reason absenteeism has remained above prepandemic levels is simply because youths and their families are taking sickness more seriously after the pandemic,” the research reads.
The researchers’ interviews with district leaders further support this hypothesis. Some mentioned that schools and families have overcorrected by encouraging children to stay home for the mildest of symptoms. As one leader said, “I think we had trained them during COVID.”
Students may be reporting sickness as their reason for missing school because it’s the more socially accepted excuse, the research adds. It may also be interpreted as “taking a mental health day,” among other reasons. As a result, reports of illness may be artificially inflated.
Looking for solutions
According to interviews with 14 district leaders, six of them said chronic absenteeism ranks high on their list of priorities, requiring multiple strategies for improvement.
“I don’t think it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of thing for this,” said one leader. “It’s finding the right combination to put in place.”
In total, 12 out of 14 leaders reported combining the following strategies:
- Family messaging: Leaders revised attendance notification systems to use more parent-friendly language, highlighting what students miss when absent, such as live instruction and peer interaction.
- Tailoring approaches by student age: Attendance must become a shared family routine so younger students develop strong attendance habits. The key for older students is classroom engagement.
- Partnering with community organizations: In one case, a suburban high school is opening a drop-in mental health clinic staffed by social work interns from a local university.
Read the full report here.
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