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Chronic Absenteeism

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Absenteeism Rates on the Decline 

The costs and impacts of chronic absenteeism are significant, with both short- and long-term implications for the student, as well as for the family, school, and community.[1]  Research suggests that chronic school absenteeism at the elementary school level reduces math and reading achievement, educational engagement, four-year graduation rates or any high school completion, and social engagement for the absent child as well as for other children in the classroom.[2]  Research aimed at discovering the causes of chronic absenteeism points to poor physical, mental and oral health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and poor school climate.[3] This indicator measures the trend in chronic absenteeism over time and by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and school district in San Bernardino County. 

Chronic Absenteeism Defined

Chronic absenteeism is variably defined as being absent for 10% to 15% or more days of the school year.  In California, the threshold is 10% or more of the number of days a student is enrolled in school.  For students enrolled for a full school year, this equates to 18 out of California’s state-mandated 180 days in a full school year. Additionally, the chronic absenteeism data in this indicator is sourced from the California Department of Education’s DataQuest which includes all grades. This differs slightly from data published by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, which uses data sourced from California Department of Education’s California School Dashboard, where the published chronic absenteeism data only includes grades TK-8.

TREND

The chronic absenteeism rate is beginning to decline after significant increases following the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2016/17 and 2023/24, the percentage of students who were chronically absent almost nearly doubled, from 12.1% to 24.1%.  However, the chronic absenteeism rate is on a downward trend, decreasing 17% from 2022/23 (28.9%) to 2023/24 (24.1%), and down nearly one-third from its peak in 2021/22 (34.9%).  The California average rate of absenteeism (20.4%) was lower than San Bernardino County’s in 2023/24 (24.1%).  Statewide trends over time mirror the county’s declining rate.  

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE MAINTAINS STEADY DECLINE FROM PEAK
Percentage of Students Who Are Chronically Absent in San Bernardino County and California, 2016/17-2023/24

* No data available for the 2019/20 school year due to factors surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Care should be used in interpreting results from 2020/21 due to variability in data reporting requirements as schools recovered from the pandemic. 

Source: California Department of Education, DataQuest; data is for all schools (charter and non-charter) 

RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL

In 2023/24, 72% of students who were chronically absent identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 11% each identified as Black or White.  In the accompanying chart, the distribution of the San Bernardino County enrolled students is provided for context.  

RACE/ETHNICITY OF STUDENTS CHRONICALLY ABSENT VARIES FROM RACE/ETHNICITY DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENT POPULATION
Distribution by Race/Ethnicity of Chronically Absent Students Compared to All Enrolled Students in San Bernardino County, 2023/24

Note: To understand the progress of students from different racial or ethnic groups, the chart displays the number of students from each racial or ethnic group that were chronically absent as a percentage of all students who were chronically absent, compared to each race or ethnic group’s percentage of all students enrolled. For example, if 100 students were chronically absent, and 11 of the students who were chronically absent identify as White, 11% of the chronically absent students identify as White. This can be compared to White student’s share of all students enrolled. For example, if 11% of the students who were chronically absent identify as White, and 14% of students enrolled identify as White, students who identify as White are slightly underrepresented among students who were chronically absent.

Source: California Department of Education, DataQuest; data is for all schools (charter and non-charter)

SOCIOECONOMIC DETAIL

Three quarters of students in San Bernardino County are identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged, and these students are more likely to be chronically absent. The rate of chronic absenteeism among students in San Bernardino County who are socioeconomically disadvantaged is higher than that of students who are not socioeconomically disadvantaged (28% vs. 13%), mirroring the statewide pattern. 

STUDENTS WHO ARE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE CHRONICALLY ABSENT
Percentage of Students Who Are Chronically Absent by Socioeconomic Status in San Bernardino County, 2023/24

Note: Socioeconomically disadvantaged includes students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, foster youth, homeless students, migrant students, and/or students for whom neither parent is a high school graduate.  

Source:  California Department of Education, DataQuest; data is for all schools (charter and non-charter) 

[1] Maynard, B. R., McCrea, K. T., Pigott, T. D., & Kelly, M. S. (2012). Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance Among Chronic Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 10.

[2] Gottfried, M. A. (2019). Chronic Absenteeism in the Classroom Context: Effects on Achievement. Urban Education, 54(1), 3-34.

Smerillo, N. E., Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., & Ou, S. R. (2018). Chronic Absence, Eighth-grade Achievement, and High School Attainment in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Journal of School Psychology, 67, 163-178.

Gottfried, M. A. (2014). Chronic Absenteeism and its Effects on Students’ Academic and Socioemotional Outcomes. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 19(2), 53-75.

Cook, P. J., Dodge, K. A., Gifford, E. J., & Shulting, A. B. (2017). A New Program to Prevent Primary School Absenteeism:  Results of a Pilot Study in Five Schools. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 262-270.

[3] Stempel, H., Cox-Martin, M., Bronsert, M., Dickinson, L. M., & Allison, M. A. (2017). Chronic school absenteeism and the role of adverse childhood experiences. Academic pediatrics, 17(8), 837-843.

Van Eck, K., Johnson, S. R., Bettencourt, A., & Johnson, S. L. (2017). How School Climate Relates to Chronic Absence:  A Multi-Level Latent Profile Analysis. Journal of School Psychology, 61, 89-102.

Pourat N., & Nicholson G. (2009). Affordability of Needed Dental Care is Linked to Frequent School Absences (pre-publication manuscript), UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

1Maynard, B. R., McCrea, K. T., Pigott, T. D., & Kelly, M. S. (2012). Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance Among Chronic Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 10. 2Gottfried, M. A. (2019). Chronic Absenteeism in the Classroom Context: Effects on Achievement. Urban Education, 54(1), 3-34. Smerillo, N. E., Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., & Ou, S. R. (2018). Chronic Absence, Eighth-grade Achievement, and High School Attainment in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Journal of School Psychology, 67, 163-178. Gottfried, M. A. (2014). Chronic Absenteeism and its Effects on Students’ Academic and Socioemotional Outcomes. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 19(2), 53-75. Cook, P. J., Dodge, K. A., Gifford, E. J., & Shulting, A. B. (2017). A New Program to Prevent Primary School Absenteeism: Results of a Pilot Study in Five Schools. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 262-270.   3Stempel, H., Cox-Martin, M., Bronsert, M., Dickinson, L. M., & Allison, M. A. (2017). Chronic School Absenteeism and the Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Academic Pediatrics, 17(8), 837-843. Van Eck, K., Johnson, S. R., Bettencourt, A., & Johnson, S. L. (2017). How School Climate Relates to Chronic Absence: A Multi-Level Latent Profile Analysis. Journal of School Psychology, 61, 89-102. Pourat N., & Nicholson G. (2009). Affordability of Needed Dental Care is Linked to Frequent School Absences (pre-publication manuscript), UCLA Center for Health Policy Research