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© Wayfinder, 2023

Strengthening Student
Attendance Across Your District

Get The State of Chronic Absenteeism 2026 Guide

 
Our partners are working to tackle chronic absenteeism from multiple angles. In just three years, rates of chronic absenteeism went from 33-34% to 16%, according to Tiona Madden, Principal at Stowe Elementary in Des Moines, IA, a Wayfinder partner district.

We know other districts across the country are facing similar challenges with student attendance. Chronic absenteeism reached an estimated 22% of students nationwide in the 2024-2025 school year, with urban districts seeing rates 5 to 6 times higher than those in other districts.
 
Let's get students back to the classroom. Fill out the form to get the guide.
Address Chronic Absenteeism in Your District

Setting the Tone for Back-to-School Season: Get the Helpful Guide for a Successful Start to the Year

The first six weeks set the tone for the rest of the year. Explore how to build a solid foundation of belonging and connection with the latest Wayfinder guide, Setting the Tone: Your Guide for Back-to-School.

Our new guide is filled with resources, articles, and activities to help your school or district build a foundation of belonging and connection, get students ready for a year of development, and create a winning attendance strategy. 

Get the Guide
Baron Davis Frame for LP

Chronic Absenteeism as a Belonging Crisis

Insights from Dr. Baron Davis on Whole-Student
Learning and Engagement

When students are absent, schools seek to understand why. Efforts to understand the underlying causes of absenteeism intensify once absenteeism reaches or exceeds 10 absences per year, a level officially recognized as chronic. However, Dr. Davis notes that too often, these efforts toward understanding rely on deficit thinking, exploring everything a student might be missing in their life outside of school, rather than looking at what the school is providing and how that might be at odds with what students truly need.

Learn more about the chronic absenteeism crisis affecting K-12 school districts nationwide, and hear Dr. Davis' tips for boosting student attendance and belonging. 

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Empty Classroom
Dive Deeper into Chronic Absenteeism

There are many reasons why chronic absenteeism is becoming more common. However, several contributing factors stand out:

  • Declining student mental health

  • Lack of belonging at school

  • Overall student disengagement

Learn how to address chronic absenteeism with our free guides, resources, and articles focused on strengthening attendance across your school or district.

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