High school students in a math class.
Credit: Allison Shelley / EDUimages
As California schools continue their post-pandemic recovery, a troubling pattern has emerged: High schoolers aren’t showing up.
Recent midyear attendance data reveals that while elementary school attendance has improved significantly, high school chronic absenteeism remains stubbornly high.
Nationally and in California, chronic absenteeism numbers tell a concerning story about older students. While California’s average chronic absence rate, based on the sample in the new report, fell to 20.46% (down from 29.04% in 2022-23), high school students continue to struggle.
Over 28% of California high school seniors included in the report have been chronically absent this school year. We must rethink approaches to engaging older students to improve high school attendance.
When students miss school, they miss more than just instruction….
