The Futures Institute

Creating an absenteeism campaign

Students regularly missing school is a clear problem. What isn’t clear is the solution. That’s why we need to hear from you— your insights and ideas are essential to creating meaningful policy.

What is Absenteeism?

Absenteeism is regularly missing school. It’s defined as missing at least 10 percent of school days for any reason, excused, unexcused, or suspended, approximately 18 days of school each year or roughly two days per month.

Why is it a problem?

The U.S. rate of persistent absenteeism has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Chronic absenteeism can seriously affect a student's ability to do well in school and graduate on time. In the 2021-22 school year, nearly 15 million students were chronically absent. This means that two-thirds of U.S. K-12 students went to schools where at least 20% of the students were missing a significant amount of class.

Chronic absenteeism harms students by causing them to miss necessary instruction, making it harder to keep up with lessons, perform in school, and understand key concepts. This often leads to lower grades, poor test scores, and an increased chance of falling behind. Over time, students who are frequently absent may struggle to develop essential skills like reading and math, which are crucial for success in higher education or entering the workforce. In the long run, chronic absenteeism increases the risk of students dropping out of school altogether, limiting their future opportunities and career options.

What is the solution?

We’re launching a campaign to gather insights and ideas from young people on how to reduce absenteeism, especially for those facing unique barriers, such as students in alternative education programs, those without stable housing, or those in foster care or the juvenile justice system.

Take a moment to share your thoughts by filling out this survey. Your ideas could help shape policies that improve school attendance for students nationwide.

Teacher Corner

Want student-friendly ways to talk about absenteeism, why it’s a problem, and what can be done about it? Check out the resources below from the folks at Spedhelper.org.