Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason—excused or unexcused. For a typical 180-day school year, this means missing 18 or more days. Unlike truancy (which counts only unexcused absences), chronic absenteeism captures all missed instructional time regardless of reason.

Research consistently shows chronic absenteeism as a leading indicator of academic struggle and dropout risk. Students who are chronically absent in elementary school are less likely to read proficiently by third grade. Those chronically absent in middle school are at higher risk of dropout. Absences create learning gaps that compound over time, and students who feel behind academically often disengage further.

Common causes include illness, transportation challenges, family instability, bullying or safety concerns making students reluctant to attend, lack of engagement or belonging, and mental health issues. Importantly, absenteeism often signals underlying problems schools can address: if a student avoids school due to peer conflict or feeling disconnected, interventions that improve belonging can reduce absences.

For charter and private schools, chronic absenteeism serves dual purposes as a metric: it predicts academic risk and often precedes disenrollment. Families whose students are chronically absent may be considering withdrawal. Early outreach when absence patterns emerge can surface concerns while they're still addressable.