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New York City’s students will return to school this week — sort of: One in three of them will miss at least 10% of the school year.
Chronic absenteeism is the most obvious obstacle to student achievement.
Even if the city Department of Education boasted the best curriculum, the most qualified teachers and limitless cash, kids can’t learn if they’re not physically present.
Is it any wonder half won’t finish the school year reading at grade level?
Chronic absenteeism exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains stubbornly high.
In the 2018-19 academic year it stood at 26.5%, only to spike to 34.8% five years later.
Continue reading the entire piece here at the New York Post
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Danyela Souza Egorov is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where she focuses on education policy and school choice. John Ketcham is a legal policy fellow and director of Cities at the Manhattan Institute.