Tackling absenteeism in Chicago  

Like many urban districts, Chicago faces a serious problem with chronic absenteeism: Almost half of high school students are chronically absent, missing at least 10% of the school year. Attendance affects more students, at more grade levels, and with more nuance than many realize. About half of Chicago’s preschool students are also chronically absent, with measurable effects on school readiness for the city’s youngest and most vulnerable students. Although absenteeism is most glaring for the youngest and oldest students, the problem pervades the district. Across grades, between 10% and 15% of elementary and middle grade students are chronically absent.  

For the past decade, the Consortium on School Research at the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute has been examining the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of absenteeism. Although this research has driven growing awareness of the importance of attendance throughout Chicago’s schools, the University of Chicago Charter School has embraced the findings with especial vigor. Not only is UChicago Charter implementing strategies that directly follow from the research findings, but also our two organizations are learning from each other as we use data to continuously refine strategies to address absenteeism.