Chronic Absenteeism Worsens Across US States, Prompting Multi-State Responses

Rising chronic absenteeism is a growing concern across multiple U.S. states, with studies linking absences to negative academic and social outcomes. A Stanford University study found immigration raids in California increased student absences by 22%, highlighting how immigration enforcement policies can indirectly disrupt education. Ohio reports more than 25% of students as chronically absent, prompting initiatives like digital academies to help students recover credits and graduate on time. New Jersey is forming a Chronic Absenteeism Task Force to analyze causes and recommend strategies, noting absenteeism rose from 10.6% pre-pandemic to 16.6% recently. Louisiana released a comprehensive guide emphasizing community-based, non-punitive interventions such as food support and after-school activities to combat absenteeism, which has increased despite improved state education rankings. Collectively, these efforts reflect a national urgency to address absenteeism through targeted policies, supportive programs, and engagement with families to improve student attendance and outcomes.