“Chronic absenteeism”, defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days enrolled (at least 18 days out of 180 days of the school year), has been shown to be harmful to students’ academic success. Chronic absenteeism is being monitored for all school districts in New York State in accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). It is viewed as a critical accountability indicator of school success.

Students may miss school days for reasons such as health, family or social issues, or economic factors. It's critical that students, families, schools and community services work together to reduce school absences and increase attendance to help students stay on the path to academic success. Watch this short video on the importance of reducing chronic absenteeism.

More information about chronic absenteeism can be found on attendaceworks.org and everystudentpresent.org.