States try new measures to get chronically absent students back to class

At least six states have introduced new laws to tackle chronic absenteeism among students, which is when students miss more than 15% of school days in a year. These measures involve mandatory monitoring of absences, public release of absence data, and new guidance on effective strategies to address the issue. Additionally, there are increased penalties for parents and guardians of these chronically absent students. This push is crucial as chronic absenteeism correlates with lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates, highlighting the need for proactive measures to ensure students are present and engaged in their education.