PRiME In The News: PRiME’s Executive Director Talks Chronic Absenteeism with STLPR

By : Courtney Vahle, Ed.D.

Published On: November 11, 2025

Last year, we published a report titled Empty Desks: An Analysis of Chronic Absenteeism in Missouri Schools, detailing the growing attendance problem state- and nationwide. In the 2023-24 school year, more than 1 in 5 students was chronically absent, missing more than 10% of scheduled school days in a school year. The recent release of the 2024-25 data suggests a shifting trend.

When districts have fewer than ten percent of their students chronically absent in a given school year, they receive full points in the attendance category of the Annual Performance Report. The number of these “High-Attendance Districts” rapidly decreased after the pandemic. Last school year, districts with less than 10% of students chronically absent rose from 90 to 235, a 161% increase.

When districts have more than twenty percent of their students chronically absent in a given school year, they receive no points in the attendance category of the Annual Performance Report. The number of these “Low-Attendance Districts rapidly increased after the pandemic. Last school year, districts with 20% or more of students chronically absent fell from 172 to 54, a 69% decrease. 

“We have seen chronic absenteeism on the rise and average daily attendance on the decline since the pandemic,” Hitt said. “Today's numbers suggest a reversal of that statewide. So post pandemic, schools have rightfully fretted about the trends in attendance and absenteeism, and we’re seeing that move in a positive direction.”

PRiME will release a new attendance report with detailed trend breakdowns after release of the full attendance numbers, set to be available from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on December 1st, 2025.

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