Two New York legislators announced a package of bills they said would address and bring attention to chronic absenteeism in schools across the state.
Sens. Patricia Fahy and James Skoufis are introducing three bills to establish a statewide attendance dashboard, or data tool; attendance review teams; and a pilot engagement and attendance program in certain school districts. The legislation would make the commissioner of education release data about absenteeism.
About one in four younger students and nearly one in three high school students statewide were chronically absent, or 18 days (10%) during the 2023–2024 school year, according to available data from New York state.
It’s sparked concern among school superintendents, some of whom view it the issue as of the biggest challenges facing classrooms and education statewide.
The senators say collecting data on absenteeism trends will show schools where the problem is most severe, identify trends and help provide opportunities for early intervention.
The bills follow up on action from October which came in response, in part, to a violent Fourth of July in Albany, in which 10 people were shot and one killed, and a fire sparked by a flare gun destroyed two buildings in incidents involving youth offenders.
The legislators say chronic absenteeism can stem from transportation barriers, unmet health or mental health needs, caregiving responsibilities and housing instability.
“Chronic absenteeism is a crisis with long-term consequences for students and communities, one that has severely worsened since the pandemic,” Skoufis said.
In a recent interview with Spectrum News 1, Onondaga County Deputy Executive for Human Services Ann Rooney said chronic absenteeism hasn’t necessarily grown because families don’t care about education, but because many are overwhelmed before the bell rings.
The county’s Department of Children and Family Services has found success in a model they believe could work statewide. They have an Access Team that serves as a one-stop entry point for families struggling with school attendance.
Another school district, Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, is working to lower absenteeism numbers with an artificial intelligence program called Edia.