Student Well-Being From Our Research Center

How Bad Is Student Absenteeism Right Now? Educators Tell Us

Absence rates rise, on average, 39 percent
By Catherine Gewertz — January 13, 2022 1 min read
Image of an empty desk.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

It’s a painful truth already, but new numbers sharpen the picture: 61 percent of educators say that student absenteeism is higher this winter than it was in the fall of 2019, adding new urgency to questions about how to care for students who are struggling with trauma and illness during the pandemic, and how to catch them up academically.

The finding comes from an online survey administered by the EdWeek Research Center during the second half of December. About 1,200 teachers, principals, and district leaders responded.

Where absenteeism is higher, it’s not just a little bit higher: it’s up an average of 39 percent.

Remote instruction appears to play a role in absenteeism. Sixty-four percent of educators at schools that taught mostly in remote mode in 2020-21 said student absenteeism has risen, compared with 51 percent of those in schools that taught mostly face-to-face.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much of the absenteeism was excused, for accepted reasons such as illness or quarantine, and how much was unexcused. But it’s well known that students’ motivation has plummeted during the pandemic, and having to learn alone, at home, on a screen, hasn’t helped.

Experts who study school attendance say one of the biggest reasons students are absent during the pandemic is because they’ve had to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19. But fear of getting the virus, and struggles with stress, motivation, and mental health have also played roles.

The higher absenteeism echoes statewide drops in attendance that have already been reported in many states and districts. During the pandemic, many districts are also seeing more students become chronic absentees,those who miss more than 10-15 percent—depending on whose definition you use—of school.

Related Tags:

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Student Well-Being What a Superintendent Told U.S. Senators About Student Mental Health
The U.S. Senate HELP committee held a hearing on the youth mental health crisis.
6 min read
Tacoma Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Joshua Garcia testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis? Exploring Causes and Solutions, on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 8, 2023.
Joshua Garcia, the superintendent of the Tacoma district in Washington state, testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on June 8, 2023, about students' worsening mental health. Garcia highlighted the Tacoma Whole Child Initiative, through which schools shifted their focus from episodic responses in moments of crisis to a sustainable effort to support student well<ins data-user-label="Matt Stone" data-time="06/8/2023 3:23:55 PM" data-user-id="00000185-c5a3-d6ff-a38d-d7a32f6d0001" data-target-id="">-</ins>being.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Student Well-Being Wildfire Haze and Poor Air Quality: Here's How Schools Are Responding
Children are particularly at risk from smoky skies, forcing school leaders to decide whether to cancel school or take less drastic measures.
4 min read
Students in a 10th grade English class at Pelham Memorial High School look outside the windows of their classroom on June 7, 2023, in Pelham, NY., as a yellow haze of smoke from wildfires in Canada blanket the area.
Students in a 10th grade English class at Pelham Memorial High School in Pelham, N.Y., look outside the windows of their classroom on June 7, 2023. Intense Canadian wildfires are blanketing the northeastern U.S. in a dystopian haze, forcing schools to decide whether to call off classes or take less drastic measures, like canceling outdoor activities.
Will Zammit-Miller via AP
Student Well-Being Addressing SEL Skepticism: Tips From Education Leaders for Getting Parents on Board
5 ideas for addressing confusion, disinformation, and questions.
6 min read
Image of dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied.
ThitareeSarmkasat/iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being Opinion Art Can Be Transformational, Even If You're Not 'Artistic'
Encouraging students to create art is important, even if it's in the form of humming or crafting mood boards.
Susan Magsamen
1 min read
Images shows a stylized artistic landscape with soothing colors.
Getty