Schools facing another growing problem: chronic absenteeism

Schools face a shortage of bus drivers and teachers, but around the nation, schools are also dealing with another growing issue: chronic absenteeism. Absenteeism rose to an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Hedy Chang, founder and executive director of Attendance Works, which is an initiative aimed at advancing student success by addressing chronic absence. At least 14.7 million students nationwide were chronically absent during the 2020-2021 school year, accordi