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Colorado schooling officers relayed some dangerous information Wednesday: The share of scholars who had been chronically absent final faculty yr elevated, whereas attendance stayed practically flat.
A scholar is chronically absent in the event that they miss 10% or extra of their faculty days. The extra faculty college students miss, the extra probably they’re to fall behind of their lecturers.
Greater than 1 in 4 Colorado college students, or 28.4%, had been chronically absent within the 2024-25 faculty yr, in line with information launched Wednesday by the Colorado Division of Training. That’s up from 27.7% in 2023-24. Continual absenteeism charges had been falling since a pandemic-era excessive of 34.5%, however final yr’s charge reverses that development.
“Whereas we did see some promising features on the native degree, our general statewide outcomes for common every day attendance and persistent absenteeism, sadly, are shifting within the incorrect path of what we had hoped to see,” state Training Commissioner Susana Córdova stated.
The statewide attendance charge final faculty yr was 91.4%, a slight dip from 91.5% in 2023-24.
Despite the fact that the statewide charges are trending within the incorrect path, most particular person faculty districts noticed enhancements. The persistent absenteeism charges in 105 of Colorado’s 178 districts went down in 2024-25, that means fewer college students missed a number of faculty.
However within the state’s two largest districts, Denver Public Colleges and Jeffco Public Colleges, persistent absenteeism charges went up. Jeffco’s charge elevated from 25.3% in 2023-24 to 26.6% in 2024-25. Denver’s charge went from 37.1% to 38.1%.
In a press release, DPS stated it was a difficult yr for attendance.
“Between the mandatory faculty closing course of that we confronted final fall and the Presidential Government Orders and ICE exercise in our group within the spring, college students and households have understandably felt pissed off and even susceptible at college,” the assertion stated.
The Denver faculty board voted in November to shut seven colleges with low enrollment and partially shut three extra, a contentious choice that was unpopular with many households and lecturers. These colleges shuttered in June.
In February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers raided condominium buildings in Denver and Aurora, inflicting concern amongst households and prompting protests from college students.
DPS identified that regardless of the general development, 82 of Denver’s practically 200 colleges reported enhancements in attendance and reductions in persistent absenteeism.
Colorado is one among a number of states that signed on to a nationwide problem final yr to chop persistent absenteeism by half over a five-year interval. The Colorado Division of Training’s targets requires the persistent absenteeism charge to hit a low of 15% by the 2027-28 faculty yr.
Hispanic college students had greatest improve in absenteeism
Large gaps stay through which college students are chronically absent most frequently. Colorado’s youngest and oldest college students have the best charges of absenteeism, though the charges amongst kindergarten, first, and second graders had been down, which state officers stated was “welcome information.”
College students of shade usually tend to be chronically absent than white college students. English language learners and college students who obtain particular schooling even have excessive charges of absenteeism.
Statewide, Hispanic college students had the largest improve in persistent absenteeism final yr, with their charge leaping from 37.1% to 38.4%. Black and white college students additionally had small will increase, however their charges remained under these of Hispanic college students.
In uncooked numbers, practically 121,000 Hispanic college students missed 10% or extra of their faculty days final yr. Almost 89,000 white college students and about 13,800 Black college students additionally missed that a lot.
College students studying English as a second language additionally had a rise in persistent absenteeism charges. This group of scholars scored decrease on state literacy and math take a look at scores final yr than in earlier years, a development Córdova stated could also be because of lagging attendance.
Elevated immigration enforcement by the Trump administration within the second semester of final faculty yr could have saved some college students out of college, state officers stated. Households had been fearful after the administration abolished a decades-old federal coverage that handled colleges as delicate areas for the needs of immigration enforcement.
Denver Public Colleges sued the Trump administration over its abolishment of the so-called delicate areas coverage, arguing that the transfer had brought about drops in attendance. However a choose sided with the Trump administration, and DPS finally dropped its lawsuit.
Some colleges are bucking the development
Amid the disappointing information, state officers highlighted some vibrant spots. York Worldwide College within the Mapleton Public Colleges district north of Denver lower its persistent absenteeism charge over the previous a number of years to the bottom within the district.
One of many methods the Okay-12 faculty makes use of known as “attendance refocus,” stated Assistant Principal Ben Schneider. Highschool college students who’ve one unexcused absence or 4 unexcused tardies in per week are required to attend a lunchtime session the place they take a survey in regards to the causes they missed faculty or had been late to class. The varsity then teams college students primarily based on these causes and gives them focused assist.
For example, Schneider stated, a number of college students had been struggling to get up early sufficient to make it to their top quality. So Schneider had the scholars collect collectively to set wake-up alarms on their telephones. He additionally despatched messages dwelling to their dad and mom.
Different limitations, like a scarcity of transportation, are tougher to beat. For one household with youngsters at three completely different colleges, Schneider stated he recommended they enroll all of their youngsters on the similar faculty to make sure a single morning drop-off time.
Whereas efficient, attendance refocus is an enormous elevate, Schneieder stated. He stated he spends about 15 hours per week assembly with college students and connecting them with assets to spice up their attendance, together with psychological well being counseling and educational tutoring.
“The takeaway I’ve had from tackling attendance for the final couple of years is that it takes an immense period of time and treasured assets on the college degree to deal with this,” Schneider stated. “And, you understand, time is our most treasured useful resource.”
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
