Researchers have called it an "ominous" trend for the education system of the US after nearly a quarter of students were chronically absent from school last year. The American Enterprise Institute confirmed that 22.6 per cent of students missed 10 per cent or more of the school year in 2025. This marks a decline from the peak of 28.3% recorded in 2022, at the height of the COVID pandemic. However, chronic absenteeism remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and the pace of improvement appears to be slowing year over year. AEI described this trend as “an ominous slowdown that should be met with urgent action, not ignominious acceptance.” “Missing school means missing valuable instructional time and poses serious implications for students' overall academic success and wellbeing,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. “Research suggests that children who are chronically absent for multiple years between preschool and second grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the third grade.”<h3>Overall chronic absenteeism rate</h3>According to AEI's findings, Alaska, Washington, D.C., Oregon, and New Mexico recorded the highest absenteeism rates, while New Jersey, Virginia, and Alabama had the lowest. The think tank notes that the issue tends to be concentrated in historically disadvantaged school districts. In Illinois, for instance, the overall chronic absenteeism rate stood at around 25 per cent last year, but this figure rose to 31 per cent of low-income students and nearly 40 per cent among Black students.&nbsp;Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, saw 32% of its students chronically absent last year. In response, a local organisation called A+ Schools has taken a hands-on approach, directly reaching out to families and providing supplies and transportation support as the school year begins. "Today is about bridging that gap, going and knocking on doors, letting folks know about what's available at the school to help them out," James Fogarty with A+ Schools told CBS Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, New York City recently resolved a lawsuit that accused its public school system of failing to catch early warning signs of school avoidance, thereby denying disabled students a complete education. To address this, the school system has introduced a plan to place liaisons in every school building, tasked with identifying obstacles, such as mental health issues, that keep students from attending school.&nbsp;

This marks a decline from the peak of 28.3% recorded in 2022, at the height of the COVID pandemic. However, chronic absenteeism remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and the pace of improvement appears to be slowing year over year.

Researchers have called it an "ominous" trend for the education system of the US after nearly a quarter of students were chronically absent from school last year. The American Enterprise Institute confirmed that 22.6 per cent of students missed 10 per cent or more of the school year in 2025. This marks a decline from the peak of 28.3% recorded in 2022, at the height of the COVID pandemic. However, chronic absenteeism remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and the pace of improvement appears to be slowing year over year. AEI described this trend as “an ominous slowdown that should be met with urgent action, not ignominious acceptance.” “Missing school means missing valuable instructional time and poses serious implications for students' overall academic success and wellbeing,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. “Research suggests that children who are chronically absent for multiple years between preschool and second grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the third grade.” Overall chronic absenteeism rate According to AEI's findings, Alaska, Washington, D.C., Oregon, and New Mexico recorded the highest absenteeism rates, while New Jersey, Virginia, and Alabama had the lowest. The think tank notes that the issue tends to be concentrated in historically disadvantaged school districts. In Illinois, for instance, the overall chronic absenteeism rate stood at around 25 per cent last year, but this figure rose to 31 per cent of low-income students and nearly 40 per cent among Black students. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, saw 32% of its students chronically absent last year. In response, a local organisation called A+ Schools has taken a hands-on approach, directly reaching out to families and providing supplies and transportation support as the school year begins. "Today is about bridging that gap, going and knocking on doors, letting folks know about what's available at the school to help them out," James Fogarty with A+ Schools told CBS Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, New York City recently resolved a lawsuit that accused its public school system of failing to catch early warning signs of school avoidance, thereby denying disabled students a complete education. To address this, the school system has introduced a plan to place liaisons in every school building, tasked with identifying obstacles, such as mental health issues, that keep students from attending school.

This marks a decline from the peak of 28.3% recorded in 2022, at the height of the COVID pandemic. However, chronic absenteeism remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and the pace of improvement appears to be slowing year over year.

'Ominous slowdown': Nearly 23% of US children were chronically absent from school in 2025 - Report

In a major win for President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Monday (Jul 14) cleared the way for his administration to resume mass layoffs at the Department of Education, effectively green-lighting his controversial plan to dismantle the agency altogether. The court's unsigned order lifts a stay imposed by a lower federal judge, allowing the conservative-led administration to continue slashing the Education Department's workforce. The ruling did not pass uncontested; three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — on the nine-member panel issued a dissent against it.<h2>Trump only fulfilling his campaign promises</h2>The US Department of Education was established by Congress in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. It administers billions of dollars in federal funding for public schools, student loans, and enforcement of civil rights protections. During his White House campaign, the Republican leader had vowed that he would eliminate the Education Department. In March, soon after assuming office, he made the move to slash the workforce by nearly half. He also infamously instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to "put herself out of a job."<h2>What does Trump have against the US Education Department?</h2>As per AFP, while the federal government only provides around 13 per cent of primary and secondary school funding — with the rest handled by states and local districts — it (the federal funding) plays a crucial role in supporting low-income students and children with disabilities/special needs.But Trump, who returned to the White House in January, has repeatedly called the department "bloated" arguing that education should be entirely managed by states. According to his administration, the move was part of a broader initiative led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), once headed by Elon Musk, to cut federal spending.<h2>A threat to the US Constitution?</h2>In their dissent, the three liberal judges — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — warned that the ruling poses a grave threat to the Constitution’s separation of powers. "Only Congress has the power to abolish the Department," they noted, adding, "The majority is either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naive, but either way the threat to our Constitution's separation of powers is grave." &nbsp;

The ruling did not pass uncontested; three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — on the nine-member panel issued a dissent against it.

In a major win for President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Monday (Jul 14) cleared the way for his administration to resume mass layoffs at the Department of Education, effectively green-lighting his controversial plan to dismantle the agency altogether. The court's unsigned order lifts a stay imposed by a lower federal judge, allowing the conservative-led administration to continue slashing the Education Department's workforce. The ruling did not pass uncontested; three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — on the nine-member panel issued a dissent against it. Trump only fulfilling his campaign promises The US Department of Education was established by Congress in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. It administers billions of dollars in federal funding for public schools, student loans, and enforcement of civil rights protections. During his White House campaign, the Republican leader had vowed that he would eliminate the Education Department. In March, soon after assuming office, he made the move to slash the workforce by nearly half. He also infamously instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to "put herself out of a job." What does Trump have against the US Education Department? As per AFP, while the federal government only provides around 13 per cent of primary and secondary school funding — with the rest handled by states and local districts — it (the federal funding) plays a crucial role in supporting low-income students and children with disabilities/special needs. But Trump, who returned to the White House in January, has repeatedly called the department "bloated" arguing that education should be entirely managed by states. According to his administration, the move was part of a broader initiative led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), once headed by Elon Musk, to cut federal spending. A threat to the US Constitution? In their dissent, the three liberal judges — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — warned that the ruling poses a grave threat to the Constitution’s separation of powers. "Only Congress has the power to abolish the Department," they noted, adding, "The majority is either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naive, but either way the threat to our Constitution's separation of powers is grave."

The ruling did not pass uncontested; three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — on the nine-member panel issued a dissent against it.

Trump gets one step closer to KILLING Education Department: US Supreme Court okays mass layoffs

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'Ominous slowdown': Nearly 23% of US children were chronically absent from school in 2025 - Report

Trump one step closer to KILLING Edu Dept; US Supreme Court okays mass layoffs