Arizona's Chandler High School Leads Fight Against Chronic Absenteeism
Arizona's Chandler High School has made strides in reducing chronic absence rates, dropping from 31.9% to 26.6% in a year. However, the state's overall chronic absenteeism remains high, with over a third (34%) of high school students missing more than 10% of school days in the 2023-24 year. State Superintendent Tom Horne has labelled this situation 'catastrophic'.
The school's success was achieved through student and family engagement initiatives and adjustments to the bell schedule. Despite this progress, chronic absenteeism is still 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels, standing at 42% in 2021-22. Economically disadvantaged students are disproportionately affected, with absenteeism rates 18% higher than their peers. Horne proposes a controversial solution: making students repeat a grade if they miss more than 18 days a year. This suggestion comes as chronic absenteeism increases linearly from third grade through high school.
While Chandler High School's efforts have shown promise, Arizona's chronic absenteeism crisis persists. Horne's proposed measure, though contentious, aims to tackle this issue head-on. Further initiatives and collaborations, such as those with the Helios Education Foundation, may be necessary to bring rates back down to pre-pandemic levels.
