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CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM
NEARLY ONE IN 10 STUDENTS ARE CHRONICALLY ABSENT FROM SCHOOL.
Description Of Indicator
This indicator tracks the number and percent of students who were absent for 10% or more of the enrolled instructional days, regardless of the reason (excused and unexcused absences). Chronic absenteeism is based on each school districts’ days of enrollment, the expected days of attendance and the actual days attended. For most districts, this threshold is around 18 days in a school year, or 2 days a month. Chronic absenteeism is associated with a number of negative consequences for students, including lower test scores, increased risk of dropping out and less access to health screenings and other support services.
Why is this indicator important?
School attendance is an influential factor in academic achievement. Chronic absenteeism is associated with a number of negative consequences for students, including lower academic achievement and increased risk of dropping out due to the number of days missed.1 Achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high school levels are increased by chronic absenteeism. In particular, research has shown that chronic absenteeism in kindergarten is associated with lower achievement in reading and math in later grades, even when controlling for a child’s socioeconomic status, kindergarten readiness and age entering kindergarten.2
Findings
• In 2017/18, Orange County students including kindergarten through high school had a chronic absenteeism rate of 8.3%. While this rate is a slight increase from 2016/17 (7.7%), it remains lower than California at 11.1%.
• In 2017/18, American Indian students had the highest chronic absenteeism rate (16.3%), followed by Pacific Islander (14.5%), Black
(13.5%) and Hispanic (9.8%) students. Asian students reported the lowest rate of chronic absenteeism (3.0%).
• By program, chronic absenteeism rates were highest among students enrolled as Foster Youth (27.7%), followed by Homeless Youth (17.2%), Students with Disabilities (14.9%), English Learners (8.7%), economically disadvantaged (10.7%) and Migrant Education (10.1%) programs.
• Foster youth students consistently have the highest chronic absenteeism rates from kindergarten (19.2%) to high school (43.8%). However, all student groups are seeing increasing rates of chronic absenteeism throughout their school experience.
• High school students have the highest rates of chronic absenteeism (12.4%), followed by kindergarten (10.7%), middle school (6.5%) and elementary school (5.4%) students. This trend is similar to California.
