In the four years since the pandemic closed schools, U.S. education has struggled to recover on a number of fronts, from learning loss, to enrollment, to student behavior.
But perhaps no issue has been as stubborn and pervasive as a sharp increase in student absenteeism, a problem that cuts across demographics and has continued long after schools reopened.
Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.
The increases have occurred in districts big and small, and across income and race. For districts in wealthier areas, chronic absenteeism rates have about doubled, to 19 percent in the 2022-23 school year from 10 percent before the pandemic, a New York Times analysis of the data found.
Poor communities, which started with elevated rates of student absenteeism, are facing an even bigger crisis: Around 32 percent of students in the poorest districts were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year, up from 19 percent before the pandemic.
Even districts that reopened quickly during the pandemic, in fall 2020, have seen vast increases.
“The problem got worse for everybody in the same proportional way,” said Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who collected and studied the data.
@ISIDEWITH1mo1MO
Should the education system be reformed to better accommodate the needs and challenges faced by students today to encourage regular attendance?
@9L7JBLZ1mo1MO
Change the hours, make the days shorter and weekends longer.
@9L7H5MX1mo1MO
I think schools can be seen as outdated and not quite preparing us for work and our future as much as it does prepare us for tests we won't even remember in a year and make no impact on our future or work.
@9L7GQCM1mo1MO
In today's age, school is so much different than in our parent's lives. Kids struggle with so many more mental health challenges which can effect how they perform in school. More than 70% of high schoolers don't get enough sleep, if we did something about school hours this problem could potentially be fixed.
@9L7GHQJ1mo1MO
I think many kids have actual reasons as to why they do not want to attend school. I understand that schools need students to attend but I also think it's important to care for the kid and their problems.
@ISIDEWITH1mo1MO
Do you believe schools should enforce stricter policies to combat chronic absenteeism, or should they focus on understanding the underlying causes behind students' decisions not to attend?
@9L7GNKP1mo1MO
I believe we need to focus on the understanding of the underlying causes, we should put in a policy where if so many are missed the students should meet up with a therapist off school grounds for privacy reasons and should be charged to the student loan to give the student the chance to talk to someone. the student could have severe anxiety or depression and not know it and this would help keep the schools drop out rate in the lower percentages as well.
@9L7FL6Y1mo1MO
We need to focus on the underlying causes to understand how we can help these young people find their place in society as a whole.
@9L7F4KT1mo1MO
Paid learning for all teachers to spot and understand mental disorders. Focus on making school a better place before placing blame on the kids for not wanting to be there.
@ISIDEWITH1mo1MO
Another byproduct of failed and reckless Covid policies that had nothing to do with the science. A whole generation of our nation’s youth will be hampered the rest of their lives.
@SelfishRatRepublican1mo1MO
We'll never know how many children and their families were spared deaths or lingering illnesses caused by Covid being brought into their homes as a result of altered school attendance during the height of the epidemic. I, for one, am grateful that my grandchildren stayed quarantined at home. Yes, it was a pain in the neck at times, but overall, it was good to see the schools show such concern for the lives of their charges.
We were not the only country that took protective measures. We're just the only one seeing this dramatic backsliding. It's almost as if several decades of Americans overfunding athletics, underfunding schools, and sneering at people with "fancy degrees" and expertise has actually affected how we view education. Almost.
@ISIDEWITH1mo1MO
@LocustJohnPatriot1mo1MO
Any employer will tell you this is not just a problem with students. Absence being acceptable is now the prevailing norm.
Let this be a wake up call for the department of education and educators all around the country that it is about time to redesign the American school system from how schools are built, how teachers are trained, how students are taught-allowing for a bespoke approach when needed, school hours vs child care accessibility for parents etc….an idea: how about starting the students day at the cafeteria offering them a healthy breakfast and a chance to socialize before the work begins?! This might just make them less anxious, less hurried and more enticed to attend school as a place of learning and joy.
Many trends are converging in American schools that will result in a less educated population. The relaxing of grading standards, doing away with the SAT for college admissions and the acceptance of absenteeism (as this article points out) all lead to one thing: an undereducated society who lack critical thinking skills.
Are we concerned about the rise in authoritarianism? If so, ensuring our children receive a quality education is our best chance at staving it off.
Sounds like a failure for the parents. Schools can only do so much. So many parent have taken a backseat in their child's growth and education. They waste time on social media, as their child does the same. They barely go outside, they don't have meaningful conversations, etc. Having a child is an active process, it's can't be a passing hobby.
The pandemic exacerbated issues that many people already had in their families. Lack of accountability and dedication, lack of knowledge of the actions/feelings of children, coasting on others taking the bulk of childcare.
Of course, MOST parents try so hard and some have just had bad luck these past few years but some of them have stopped trying and the results are showing.
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