More students have been considered chronically absent since the pandemic, with the 21% figure that the district saw in 2018-19 rising to 42% in 2021-22. While officials say they are encouraged by a 5% drop seen last year, they admit more needs to be done.
The effort was part of an annual event to curb chronic absenteeism defined as when students miss at least 18 days of school in an academic year. Missing that much school places students at risk of lower academic performance and dropping out.
On Wednesday morning, a pool of 42 volunteers headed to Dorchester, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain with the goal of reaching 300 households where students dropped out or were chronically absent last school year.