Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.
It feels like we’re sick all the time now. We hold our kids out more frequently than we used to as well, to avoid getting other people sick.
We also keep them home if we think they might be sick. When I was a child, you had to have a fever, sore throat, or vomiting to stay home. There are more conditions that warrant staying home now.
Yeah, my understanding is that people are spending about twice as much time sick as pre-pandemic. Probably responsible for a third to half of the increase in chronic absenteeism.