Attendance Gains, But Pandemic Gaps Persist | Denver News

Colorado’s student attendance edged up last year, but chronic absenteeism—kids missing 10% or more school days—still lingers far above pre-pandemic levels, dropping only slightly from 28.4% to 27.5%. To combat this, the state launched “Every School Day Matters” in 2024 with a bold goal: cut chronic absenteeism in half by 2027. They’re investing in family resources and educator training, recognizing that causes vary—parents for younger kids, personal struggles for teens—and systemic issues like transportation and healthcare access have worsened since the pandemic. While progress is uneven, nearly every grade and group saw improvement, except students experiencing homelessness. Eighteen districts have already slashed absenteeism by half since 2021-22, and over 110 schools across 83 districts are now part of the initiative. Officials are optimistic but clear: much work remains to restore pre-pandemic attendance rates and ensure no student misses out on learning. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d7d3d001eb8c39e8