Chronic absenteeism rates improve in Michigan, but still fall short of pre-pandemic levels
(CBS DETROIT) — New data shows that chronic absenteeism levels have declined statewide in Michigan from the previous school year. However, the numbers are still higher than before the pandemic.
"The difference is more students are missing a little bit more school, so on average, every student in Michigan is missing an extra day every other month or so," said Jeremy Singer, research assistant professor of Education at Wayne State University.
State data shows Michigan's chronic absenteeism rate declined from 30.8% to 29.5%. In the 2018 school year, it was 19.7%.
Singer's area of focus is on education and absenteeism. He says COVID-19 concerns are still causing a decrease in attendance.
"It's also likely students' mental health has not fully recovered from isolation from the pandemic, it's also possible relationships and engagements with schools were disrupted," he told CBS News Detroit.
Chronically absent means a student misses 10% or more of the school year, which equals 18 days a year. State data shows that in the 2021-2022 school year, rates were dramatically higher than in previous years at 38.5%.
Then the following school year, numbers declined to nearly 31 percent.
"We saw in 2022-23 a lot of challenges and adjustments from the pandemic start to come back down," Singer said.
According to Singer, it complicated rates are higher now than four years ago. Contributing factors like inflated gas prices may cause a student's absence.
"The fundamental drivers of high rates of chronic absenteeism are these social and economic inequalities," he said.
The state is working to lower the numbers, by utilizing an early intervention dropout prevention program. An also using, research based strategies to directly target a students needs.
"We need to figure out what is lingering that's leading to that additional level of absenteeism and just like all those other problems that existed before, like health issues, just like transportation issues, just like challenges with family logistics," Singer said.