Support Chronically Absent Students in Returning to School: Essential Practices for Reducing Chronic Absenteeism at Scale

Chronic absenteeism rates have doubled since before the pandemic, leading to a cascade of consequences that impact student success, employee morale, and district budgets. Research shows that three emerging root causes for chronic absenteeism have largely gone unaddressed: more parents today undervalue in-person attendance, students have lost the motivation to attend school since the pandemic, and teachers are unsure of their role in combatting absenteeism at large. Despite chronic absenteeism being a decades-old issue in public education, superintendents are still searching for sustainable answers to these problems.

This study addresses the existing and emerging root causes driving chronic absenteeism today and presents a framework for re-engaging chronically absent students and their parents. District leaders will learn new practices for reducing chronic absenteeism in the post-pandemic environment and how these practices can be integrated into district support systems today.