Chronic Absenteeism Falls to 24 Percent but Federal Data Collection Remains Stalled

U.S. students declined from as high as 30 percent to roughly 24 percent by the start of the past school year, according to estimates from the Return 2 Learn tracker reviewed by ABC News. One in three students nationwide experienced chronic absenteeism during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Said family problems sometimes require her and her older sibling to stay home to watch younger siblings. "Me and my older sibling stay home to watch the little ones," she told ABC News. She added that missing school causes stress because she is not learning and must complete makeup work.

Brookland Middle School’s soccer team defeated Excel Academy at RFK Fields on April 24, 2026, marking the team’s first win of the season. Nayleen Escalante-Villatoro participated in the DC SCORES Spring Cup on June 3, 2026. She said the DC SCORES program, which offers soccer, poetry, and service-learning, has helped her return to class more regularly because her coach talks with her when she is struggling.

U.S. Department of Education told ABC News it could not yet provide current K-12 chronic absenteeism data. Its National Center for Education Statistics told ABC News in 2023 that chronic absenteeism increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hedy Chang, CEO of Attendance Works, said there is no urgent need for new federally funded programs, only better use of existing ones. "I need existing programs to think about how they use chronic absence data to collaborate and work together to support kids and families," Chang told ABC News.

Joanna Lack, Executive Director of United Family Advocates and former chief performance officer in Camden, New Jersey, said chronic absenteeism is a symptom rather than the underlying disease.