Chronic Absenteeism Worst in Kindergarten, 9th and 12th Grades, State Data Shows
Chronic student absenteeism remains a significant challenge in the nation's schools. While the percentage of chronically absent students has declined from its peak of 28% in 2021-22 — when it nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels — it remained high, at around 23% in 2023-24. But a comprehensive FutureEd analysis of state absenteeism data reveals that the attendance problem is much more severe in some grades than others, pointing to the importance of tailoring attendance strategies to students' various circumstances.
Data from 22 states and the District of Columbia for the 2023-24 school year reveal significant differences across grade levels, with absenteeism particularly severe in high school. In most states, 12th graders have the highest rates of chronic absenteeism, often far exceeding state averages. In Mississippi, for example, the overall absenteeism rate was 24%, but among seniors, it soared to 41%. Several other states also reported senior absenteeism rates above 40%, with rates in the District of Columbia and Oregon exceeding 50%.
Equally concerning, if not more so, is the high absenteeism among ninth graders. Research consistently finds that ninth-grade success is one of the strongest predictors of high school graduation, yet many students are missing substantial amounts of school in that key transition grade. In Washington, D.C., nearly 58% of ninth graders were chronically absent in 2023-24, the highest rate of any grade.
Many of these students missed far more than the threshold of two days per month that defines chronic absenteeism. More than 27% of D.C.'s ninth graders missed more than 30% of the school year — equivalent to 54 days of lost instruction. In California, about 23% of ninth graders were chronically absent, missing an average of 40 days, compared with just 6.8 days for their non-chronically absent peers. Notably, about three-fifths of the absences were unexcused.
Beyond high school, kindergarten often sees the highest absenteeism rates. In some states, kindergarten absenteeism surpasses high school levels. In Hawaii, for example, the overall absenteeism rate was 25%, but in kindergarten, it was nearly 34%. Kindergarten absenteeism generally spiked during the pandemic as parents sought to protect their young children during the COVID crisis. But those rates have also shown some of the most significant recovery since then. In Michigan, rates surged from 22% pre-pandemic to 45% in 2021-22 before declining to 33% in 2023-24. California followed a similar pattern, with kindergarten absenteeism rising by 25 percentage points before recovering by 16.
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These grade-specific patterns underscore the need for targeted interventions. The factors driving absenteeism in kindergarten — more likely linked to parental challenges — differ from those affecting high schoolers, who may struggle with disengagement, work obligations or other external pressures. Effectively addressing chronic absenteeism requires a nuanced approach informed by data rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Identifying which students are missing school, and ultimately understanding why, is essential for developing targeted, impactful solutions.
Notes on the data: About half the states provide public chronic absenteeism data broken down by grade level. Most of these report data for individual grades, while others group the information into broader categories, such as elementary, middle and high school levels. FutureEd has collected grade-by-grade data for the 2023-24 school year from the 22 states and the District of Columbia, including some where data are not publicly available.
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