US student chronic absenteeism trends

Data from the 2025-2026 school year indicates varying trends in student chronic absenteeism across different US regions. In Mississippi, the chronic absenteeism rate decreased to 26.5% from 27.6% the previous year, a change following new attendance policies and adjusted absence counting methods by the Mississippi Department of Education.

Nationally, progress in reducing absenteeism appears to be slowing. While rates have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, the collective US absenteeism rate was 22.6% in 2025. States participating in the ‘50% Challenge’ initiative have seen an average reduction of 5.7%, outperforming the 3.2% reduction seen in non-participating states.

In Michigan, statewide public school attendance rose to 91.5%, marking four consecutive years of improvement. The state’s chronic absenteeism rate fell to 27.2%, representing an 11.3 percentage point decrease since the 2021-22 school year. Localized successes, such as in Van Buren County, have been attributed to programs like Communities In Schools, which utilize case management to address barriers such as food insecurity and transportation.