Education
Schools Across the U.S. Report Significant Decreases in Attendance
At this point, it seems almost redundant to discuss the consequences of COVID-19 on our educational landscape. It’s well-known that even with abundant resources, maneuvering through blended or hybrid learning environments, adhering to individual district quarantine and masking policies, and maintaining some semblance of normalcy while ensuring children keep up with their schoolwork is an overwhelming challenge. This has left both parents and teachers feeling drained, as numerous surveys reveal a significant increase in chronic absenteeism.
According to reports from Education Week, teachers nationwide have observed a 39% uptick in student absences. The transition to remote instruction appears to correlate with rising absenteeism, as 64% of educators from schools primarily using remote learning reported increased absences, compared to 51% from those teaching mostly in-person. Experts point out that the necessity for quarantining after exposure to an infected individual is a major factor in these rising absence rates. The mental fatigue associated with navigating multiple global crises simultaneously also contributes to reduced regular school attendance, as children are facing a surge in mental health challenges.
This pattern is evident across the nation. The Los Angeles Times has indicated that nearly half of the students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) were chronically absent during the 2021-2022 academic year. Among these students, the report highlights that the repercussions of missed schooling are most heavily felt by the most vulnerable student demographics. In LA, the chronic absence rate is 57% for Black students, 49% for Latino students, and a staggering 68% for those experiencing homelessness. Similarly, New York City, the largest school district in the U.S., witnessed its overall attendance drop below 70% after the holiday break, coinciding with the Omicron variant surge. Prior to the pandemic, the district boasted a 91% attendance rate.
The increased absenteeism has placed educators in a challenging predicament—one that was already exacerbated by the pandemic—regarding whether to progress with their lesson plans. Many teachers feel pressured to continue with the curriculum to ensure their students’ education—and, by extension, funding—remains on track; several have cited impending spring state assessments as justification for adhering to the planned curriculum despite rising absence rates. It is notably more difficult to bring a student up to speed when multiple children are missing classes simultaneously. “When I have five or six students absent, it significantly affects the lesson and slows the pace for the entire class,” remarked teacher Anna Rodriguez from Georgia. Some students may catch up if they have supportive parents or guardians, but that is not a feasible option for all families. As is often the case during the pandemic, this disproportionately impacts students from the most underserved communities, ultimately widening academic disparities. Education Week reports that the gap between students in majority-Black schools and those in majority-white schools has now grown to three months wider than before the pandemic. This may lead to an increase in dropout rates, with federal data suggesting that between 1.7 to 3.3 million students in grades 8-12 could potentially leave school due to the effects of the pandemic.
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Summary:
Schools across the United States are grappling with alarming drops in attendance, largely attributed to the long-term effects of COVID-19. Chronic absenteeism has surged, with teachers reporting significant increases in absence rates, particularly in districts reliant on remote learning. Vulnerable student groups are disproportionately affected, exacerbating existing academic gaps and raising concerns about future dropout rates.