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Chronic absenteeism in Michigan schools dropped slightly last year, but more than a fourth of students are still missing a lot of school.
Statewide, 27.2% of K-12 students were chronically absent, down from 27.9% the previous year, according to figures released Thursday. The absenteeism rate in Michigan has been among the highest in the nation, according to one report.
The persistently high absenteeism comes as many students in the state continue to struggle with reading and math. Third grade reading scores reached a 12-year low in 2025, with just over 38% of students considered proficient.
A student is chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of a school year. That would mean 18 days or more in a typical 180-day calendar.
It’s the fourth year of decreases since the state’s chronic absenteeism reached a high of 38.5% in the 2021-22 school year.
“Students benefit when they are in school and engaged in learning,” State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said. “Michigan’s improving attendance and chronic absenteeism rates reflect the hard work of local school districts, students, families, community partners and the Michigan Department of Education. While this progress is encouraging, more work remains. We must continue working together to improve attendance and further reduce chronic absenteeism across our state.”
Student attendance is linked to achievement. Teachers and principals have reported that regular student attendance is a challenge, especially after the pandemic.
State law requires districts to provide 180 days and 1,098 hours of instruction. But many schools have fewer days because of bad weather, emergencies, or teacher professional development. Districts can count up to 38 hours of professional development as pupil instruction.
Students are considered chronically absent regardless of whether their absences are made up of excused, unexcused, or a combination of the two. District policies vary on what is counted excused or unexcused.
Michigan has not passed new laws or rules on attendance in recent years.
A state education department report issued in July lists student boredom, economic instability, and health issues as some of the root causes of absenteeism. The report says schools can remove barriers to attendance by offering transportation assistance, gas cards, or ride-sharing networks. It also recommends that schools communicate with families the importance of regularly attending school.
Districts get creative to get students to school
Local districts have tried student incentives, reaching out to parents earlier about attendance trends, and conducting home visits. But leaders say they cannot increase attendance alone. In Detroit, high schoolers could earn up to $1,000 in Visa gift cards for achieving perfect attendance in various one-week periods. Almost 84% of high schoolers received at least one $100 gift card, Chalkbeat Detroit reported.
In Muskegon County, two neighboring districts had a friendly attendance competition that included a big trophy, bragging rights, and celebration for students who had fewer than five absences in seven months.
Meanwhile, a group of five intermediate school districts covering eight counties in mid-Michigan ran a public information campaign urging students to miss fewer than five days of school.
The Michigan Department of Education offers coaching to districts on how to look at student data to identify students at risk of dropping out and pair them with support. The process is called the Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System, or EWIMS.
Last school year, about 60 school districts participated in a pilot program aimed at better tracking attendance, student behavior, and course completions. The pilot program is run by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Isabel Lohman is a reporter for Bridge Michigan. You can reach her at ilohman@bridgemi.com.
