Kentucky Department of Education staff members discussed the department’s Attendance Matters chronic absenteeism campaign, another one of the agency’s top priorities at a recent Student Advisory Council meeting.
A student is defined as chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of their time in school. This includes both excused and unexcused absences.
KDE launched a public messaging campaign, which included a commercial and ads strategically placed on streaming services, websites, public transportation services, event venues and billboards across the Commonwealth. The ads feature messaging about how when a student misses school, they miss more than lessons, they miss connection with their school community and building their future.
Lisa Henry and Ashley Gates in KDE’s Office of Continuous Improvement and Support engaged students in a discussion about chronic absenteeism, including a rundown of the data and how chronic absenteeism has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The absenteeism rate went from 18% during the 2018-2019 school year to 27% in 2021-2022, following two years of disrupted data collection due to the pandemic. The rate rose to 30% in the 2022-2023 school year, but dipped to 28% the following year. Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said data from the 2024-2025 school year shows another decline, as well.
KDE’s goal is to reduce the chronic absenteeism rate in Kentucky to 15% by the end of the 2028-2029 school year.
Students shared experiences related to attendance, whether it be their own or what they have noticed with their peers. Some explained difficulties they have noticed with illness and economic issues producing barriers to consistent attendance.
Lillian Ruth Darr, a senior at Muhlenberg County High School, said some students simply do not want to go to school, “and their parents don’t make them come, so they just don’t come (to school).”
Sophie Johnston, a junior at Morgan County High School, noted chronic absenteeism rates tend to be higher in parts of eastern Kentucky. She said many of her own classmates are working instead of going to school.
“I am in one of those areas that did have (issues with) chronic absenteeism before COVID, and most of my friends don’t come to school due to the fact that they have to have jobs to take care of their families,” Johnston said.
Lacey Paige, a senior at Christian County High School, said some of her classmates have skipped school to take care of younger siblings for parents who either work or have healthcare issues.
Manas Garla, a senior at Western Hills High School (Franklin County), said he has noticed since online learning became more normalized and assignments are mostly done virtually, many students lack of motivation to come to class.
“All you have to do is email your teacher and be like, ‘Hey, what do I have to do’ and they’ll give you the assignment, you can just do it at home,” Garla said. “So even if you just want to take a day off, it’s like you’re not missing much because you can do it at home.”
Fletcher said vibrant learning experiences within those activities and others inside the classroom can provide incentive for students to come to school. Fletcher said he has seen countless examples across Kentucky’s districts of these experiences, such as tiny house projects and job shadowing opportunities.
“Do we give you good motivation to be at school?” Fletcher asked. “Is there something that’s going on in your school that you’re doing each and every day to make you say I can’t miss this because … I would hate to miss the experience?”
KDE provides resources on the Attendance Matters chronic absenteeism webpage for families, community members and educators. Guidelines on when students should stay home due to an illness, steps communities can take and other information to help promote attendance in schools are just a few of the many helpful resources available on the webpage.