The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades

Students must be present and engaged to learn, but thousands of this country’s youngest students are academically at risk because of extended absences in their early school years. Nationally, an estimated one in 10 kindergarten and first-grade students miss nearly a month or more of school over the course of a year.

This report, commissioned by the Casey Foundation, raises awareness of this issue, presents data on the scope of the challenge, and shares emerging insights about how to address it. An executive summary is also available.