Reforming K-12 Education

Intellections

Contributing Scholar: Thomas Dee

School Absenteeism: Missed Days & Missed Opportunities

The rise in chronic school absenteeism threatens not only academic achievement but America’s civic and economic future. Restoring daily attendance through local, data-driven solutions is essential to strengthening the nation’s human capital.

School Absenteeism: Missed Days & Missed Opportunities

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School Absenteeism: Missed Days & Missed Opportunities

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Published October 22, 2025

One in four U.S. public-school students is now chronically absent, missing at least ten percent of the school year. This surge in school absenteeism widens learning gaps, limits opportunity, and weakens civic readiness. Confronting the problem requires targeted action—tracking attendance data in real time, diagnosing local causes, engaging parents, and restoring community norms around daily attendance. Each missed day compounds into missed skills and missed opportunities. Reversing this trend is vital to preparing the next generation to sustain America’s prosperity and civic life.

Check out more from Thomas Dee:

Read "School Absenteeism Remains Stubbornly High in US: 1 in 4 Chronically Absent" by Thomas Dee here.
Read "Understanding the Promise and Reality of Continuous Improvement in US Public Schools" by Thomas Dee here.
Read "Learning from the Past: School Accountability before ESSA" by Thomas Dee here.

Learn more about Thomas Dee here.

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The opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.