Overview
Chronically absent students are less likely to meet grade level proficiency standards and are more likely to dropout of school than their peers, with impacts seen as early as preschool. These effects can be lasting. Among third grade students, those who were not chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade were three-and-a-half times more likely to read on grade level than their peers who were chronically absent both years (64% vs. 17% respectively). The passage of Michigan’s third-grade reading law, which mandates retention of students who are a grade or more behind in reading, makes these statistics even more pressing. If Michigan is to achieve its goal of becoming a top 10 education state in the next decade, addressing its high rates of chronic absenteeism will be critical.
Efforts to reduce school absences can be strengthened by understanding the characteristics of students most at risk. Race, income and disability status are all associated with elevated rates of chronic absenteeism, but one group stands out in particular: homeless students. Data shows homelessness is a statewide issue affecting rural, suburban and urban communities alike, which indicates the need for a greater focus on the educational impact of housing instability in Michigan. This brief uses data from the Center for Educational Performance and Information to explore chronic absenteeism and makes policy recommendations to ensure all of the state’s children make it to school.
Key Findings
- Chronic absenteeism is a statewide issue affecting the education of Michigan’s school children. Roughly 1 out of every 6 children (16%) in Michigan was chronically absent in school year 2016-17, and all regions of the state had districts with chronic absenteeism rates of 25% or more.
- Students struggling with economic instability are much more likely to be chronically absent from school than their higher-income peers. Economically disadvantaged students were chronically absent at three times the rate of their higher income peers (24% and 8% respectively).
- Disparities in chronic absenteeism in Michigan are also prominent based on race and disability status. Close to one-third (32%) of African American students were chronically absent. Likewise, students with disabilities also faced significant challenges—roughly one-quarter (24%) were chronically absent from school.
- Homeless students have the highest chronic absenteeism rate of any group in Michigan for which data is available. Forty percent of homeless students were chronically absent in school year 2016-17, a rate two-and-a-half the statewide average and eight percentage points higher than the next highest category reported (African American students).
See policy recommendations in the full policy brief: Missing School, Missing a Home
