Virginia Leads Nation in Cutting Chronic Student Absenteeism

Virginia has been nationally recognized for its significant progress in reducing chronic absenteeism in schools, a problem that worsened due to extended pandemic-related closures. Governor Glenn Youngkin's ALL In VA initiative, launched in 2023, includes the formation of a Chronic Absenteeism Task Force and targets a 50% reduction in chronic absenteeism over five years by expanding tutoring, literacy programs, and attendance support. The state's chronic absenteeism rate dropped from 19.3% to 15.7% between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, positioning Virginia as a leader in national recovery efforts. Attendance Works, a nonprofit focused on school attendance policy, featured Virginia in a case study highlighting its data-driven efforts and inclusion of attendance metrics in school accountability standards. Investments exceeding $418 million have been made toward addressing learning loss through initiatives focused on attendance, literacy, and learning across the Commonwealth. Both Governor Youngkin and Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera emphasized the critical importance of consistent in-person attendance for student academic, social, and developmental success.