Michigan chronic absenteeism falls again, but more than 1 in 4 students miss too much school
Chronic absenteeism in Michigan schools dropped slightly last year, but more than a fourth of students are still missing a lot of school. Statewide, 27.2% of K-12 students were chronically absent, down from 27.9% the previous year, according to figures released Thursday.…
Michigan's chronic absenteeism rate has declined slightly, yet more than a quarter of students still miss significant portions of school annually. Last year, 27.2% of K-12 students in the state were classified as chronically absent, a 0.7% decrease from the previous year. The absenteeism rate has been consistently high nationwide.
Michigan's struggles are compounded by difficulties in math and reading, with third-grade reading scores hitting a 12-year low in 2025. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss at least 10% of the school year, which equates to 18 or more days in a typical 180-day calendar year. The state's chronic absenteeism rate has been steadily dropping since peaking at 38.5% in the 2021-22 school year.
State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko emphasized the importance of student engagement in learning, citing the benefits of consistent school attendance. Despite the progress, more work remains to be done. The Michigan Department of Education highlights student boredom, economic instability, and health issues as contributing factors to absenteeism.
Schools employ various strategies to encourage attendance, such as transportation assistance, communication with families, and incentives for perfect attendance. However, the responsibility to improve attendance cannot be shouldered by schools alone.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
