(Moorhead, MN) — Chronic Absenteeism of students in Minnesota public schools is up across the state.
Minnesota’s Department of Education released data for the first time since 2019, showing 69.8% of students are now absent from schools at least one-in-every-ten days. This is compared to 2019 data, where approximately 85% of students were not considered chronically absent.
Additionally, data says less than 25% of students attended school regularly in some low income school districts.
“We will not shy away from what the data are telling us. These results send a renewed sense of urgency and underscore the importance of key supports that are already underway,” said Willie Jett, a Department of Education Commissioner. “As we enter a new school year, Minnesota’s Department of Education is committed to providing support, through programs such as COMPASS and implementing the READ Act and other new legislation, to help every school in Minnesota as they strive to meet the academic, social-emotional and mental health needs of students.”
Moorhead Public Schools is faring slightly better when it comes to the rates of absenteeism. State Department of Education data shows 74.9% of students in Moorhead Area Public Schools are not considered chronically absent, almost five-percentage-points higher than the statewide average. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton bucks the trend even further, showing a total of 77.8% of students are not chronically absent. However, the numbers are still below the pre-pandemic average noted in 2019.
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