Unpacking the Rise in Chronic Absenteeism Since COVID-19

The decline in school attendance since the pandemic is well-documented. According to a 2022 report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), chronic absenteeism (defined as missing 10% or more of school days) increased dramatically during the pandemic. Before COVID-19, about 8 million students were chronically absent each year; this number surged to an estimated 14 million during the 2020-2021 school year. But what exactly is driving this increase, and what can be done to address it? Let’s dive into the research to uncover some answers.

Causes of Declining Attendance

• Mental Health Issues: The pandemic has exacerbated mental health problems among students. A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021 found that 37% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the pandemic, and 44% said they felt persistently sad or hopeless.
• Academic Disengagement: Remote learning, while necessary during the height of the pandemic, led to significant disengagement for many students. A study by the RAND Corporation in 2021 revealed that 84% of teachers observed a decrease in student engagement during remote learning periods.
• Family Economic Strain: Many families faced economic hardships during the pandemic, which forced some students to take on additional responsibilities such as part-time jobs or caregiving for younger siblings, further contributing to absenteeism.
• Health Concerns: Ongoing fears about COVID-19 and its variants have also played a role. Even as schools reopened, concerns about safety and health led to irregular attendance patterns.
• Disruption to Learning Environments: One of the most significant factors contributing to the rise in chronic absenteeism is the disruption caused by the pandemic itself. School closures, hybrid learning models, and shifting public health guidelines have upended traditional learning environments, making it more challenging for students to consistently attend classes.
• Socioeconomic Disparities: Research has shown that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities already facing socioeconomic challenges, including access to technology, reliable internet connectivity, affordable modes of transportation, and adequate housing. 
  
  

Research Supporting the Trend:

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES):

• According to data from the NCES, chronic absenteeism rates in U.S. public schools nearly tripled during the 2020-2021 school year compared to the previous year, with 27% of students identified as chronically absent.

Attendance Works:

• Attendance Works, a national initiative focused on addressing chronic absenteeism, conducted a study that found significant increases in absenteeism rates across various demographic groups during the pandemic. The study also highlighted the importance of monitoring attendance data to identify students at risk of chronic absenteeism and provide targeted interventions to support their engagement in learning.

McKinsey & Company: 

• McKinsey & Company conducted research on the impact of COVID-19 on education and found that absenteeism rates were highest among students from low-income communities and those attending schools with predominantly Black or Hispanic student populations. The study emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of absenteeism and support students’ academic and social-emotional well-being.
  
  

Addressing the Challenge:

While the rise in chronic absenteeism since COVID-19 presents a significant challenge for educators and policymakers, it also underscores the importance of adopting holistic approaches to supporting student attendance and engagement. Some potential strategies include:

• Implementing targeted interventions to identify and support students at risk of chronic absenteeism.
• Providing wraparound services, such as mental health support, access to technology, and transportation assistance, to address the underlying barriers to attendance.
• Offering support to families facing challenges can indirectly improve student attendance. Schools can partner with community organizations to provide resources such as food assistance, childcare, and employment support for parents.
• Prioritizing relationship-building and social-emotional learning to foster a sense of belonging and connection among students, particularly those who may be disengaged or struggling.
• Provide trauma-informed training so your staff understands how stress, trauma, and lack of connection impact student and staff attendance. 

The impact of COVID-19, including long quarantines, Covid protocols, and other challenges, led to a surge in chronic absenteeism rates. For instance, Michigan saw its chronic absenteeism rate almost double from 20% to 39%, while Virginia's rate tripled from 10% to 30% during the pandemic (Future Ed, 2023). The lingering effects of COVID-19 have made it easier for students and parents to rationalize missing school, creating a crisis-level problem that is affecting districts nationwide, including both low-performing and high-poverty districts (CNY Central, 2024). The data indicates that chronic absenteeism increased even after schools fully reopened and vaccines became widely available, highlighting the lasting impact of the pandemic on attendance rates.

In conclusion, the rise in chronic absenteeism since COVID-19 reflects the complex interplay of factors ranging from health concerns to socioeconomic disparities. By understanding the underlying causes and implementing trainings and targeted interventions, schools can work to reverse this trend and ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive academically and socially, both during and beyond the pandemic.

^{Citations:
[1] https://www.the74million.org/article/report-schools-wont-recover-from-covid-absenteeism-crisis-until-at-least-2030/ 
[2] https://schoolsweek.co.uk/covid-pupil-absences-triple-in-two-weeks-and-almost-1-in-10-teachers-off/ 
[3] https://cnycentral.com/news/crisis-in-the-classroom/lingering-impact-of-covid-19-boosts-absenteeism-rates-to-crisis-level-in-central-new-york 
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/22/covid-absences-schools-england-triple-in-two-weeks 
[5] https://www.future-ed.org/outdated-absenteeism-data-is-slowing-pandemic-school-recovery/ .
[6] National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2022.
[7] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2021.
[8] RAND Corporation, 2021.}