SAN ANTONIO, Texas — As in-person learning rebounds following the pandemic, Texas schools are still grappling with a significant issue: chronic absenteeism.
This problem, defined as students missing at least 10% of school days, surged during the pandemic and has yet to stabilize. Last school year, approximately one in five Texas students was chronically absent.
Dr. Eduardo Hernández, superintendent of Edgewood Independent School District, highlighted the challenges faced by students in his district, where more than half were considered chronically absent last year—one of the highest rates in the state.
“I know of students that are having to help make ends meet,” Hernandez said. “Sometimes that means if we’re gonna eat this week, he or she might have to work a couple days, or three days, or cover for childcare.”
Hernández says the high absenteeism rates could be due to inflation and other socioeconomic factors.
“For a district like Edgewood, there’s always been challenges around just your basic needs. Food, shelter, a warm place to be in, so that was also exacerbated,” Hernández said.
To address the issue, Hernández suggested that schools might need to shift their role to better support families.
He is holding “pláticas,” or community meetings, aimed at connecting with parents to understand the barriers preventing their children from attending school and to inform them about available services.
Susannah Young from Children at Risk emphasized the long-term impact of chronic absenteeism on graduation rates and students’ futures.
“Once a student’s been chronically absent for several years in a row, it’s a lot harder to bring them back into that school environment,” Young said. “When we think about predicting which students might drop out of high school, attendance is a better predictor than test scores.”
As for how districts can start addressing chronic absenteeism, Young says it starts with data.
“They need to know which kids are chronically absent so they can offer those support systems,” Young said. Using the data, districts can look at what interventions would best help their students.
State Senator Judith Zaffirini has introduced a bill requiring districts to better document chronic absenteeism.
“Good data facilitates good decisions,” Zaffirini said in a statement. “Without accurate tracking, educators cannot fully understand why students are missing class or which interventions work best.”
Chronic absenteeism has become a growing concern in Texas schools, affecting both student success and school funding. Too many students are falling behind simply because they are not in the classroom, and educators often lack the resources to identify and support these students before it’s too late.
I filed Senate Bill 56 to ensure that chronically absent students are recognized as at risk of dropping out, allowing schools to track, support and intervene early to help keep them engaged. By addressing chronic absenteeism proactively, we can improve learning outcomes, strengthen our schools and facilitate long-term success.
Hernández is also advocating for increased funding, noting that attendance directly impacts the financial resources schools receive.
He says funding will be a big factor in the district’s ability to help meet student needs and keep them in the classroom.
“That will probably contribute to the child seeing the school as a place where I go, not just for academics, now I’m going for other of my needs,” Hernández said.
You can look at specific chronic absenteeism data for your House or Senate district on these maps from Children at Risk.
