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JACKSON COUNTY, Mich. (News 10) – Michigan’s chronic absenteeism rate is about 27.2% this year, a slight drop from last year’s rate of 27.9%, according to the state.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing more than 10% of the school year. The state says nearly 388,000 Michigan students missed at least 10% of the last school year.
More than 1 in 4 Michigan students are chronically absent from school, nearly double pre-COVID levels, according to the American Enterprise Institute’s Return to Learn Tracker. The number has dropped for four straight years.
Superintendents point to pandemic-era habits
Northwest Community Schools Superintendent Geoff Bontrager said the statewide rate reflects the COVID era.
“I think the chronic absenteeism statewide is very much reflective from the COVID era… it created a short time frame in which some bad habits were created,” Bontrager said.
State cites mix of factors
The Michigan Department of Education points to a mix of factors behind the numbers, including mental health struggles, bullying, transportation problems and unstable housing.
East Jackson Community Schools Superintendent Jeff Punches agreed.
“Transportation, obviously, is a huge reason that I think kids miss school. The mental health crisis is still a real thing,” Punches said.
Superintendents say consistency improves performance
Both superintendents and the state said the more consistently a student shows up, the better they perform in the classroom.
“It’s going to take that directive from school boards with our administrative and our instructional staff working together with high expectations,” Bontrager said.
“It’s kind of a triangle of work — it’s the school, it’s the kids, it’s the family. If you’re not at school, you’re missing lessons, you’re missing pieces from the curriculum that are very important for the next year,” Punches said.
Youngest students also affected
The Michigan Department of Education is also keeping an eye on the youngest students. The state says nearly 1 in 3 Michigan kindergartners were chronically absent last year. Researchers say those early habits can follow kids for the rest of their time in school.
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