More than 52,000 Idaho students were consistently absent from school last year.

Still, the figure is an improvement — it’s about 12,000 fewer students than the year before. 

Chronic absenteeism also dropped in most of the state’s largest districts and in most student subgroups. 

But absenteeism levels are still not as low as they were in 2020-21, the first year the State Department of Education began tracking chronic absenteeism — which is defined as missing 10% or more school days. On average, most Idaho students attend about 160 days of school each year, so that equates to about 16 days or more of missed classes (more than three weeks).

To see the chronic absenteeism rate at your school or district, go here. You can also explore this data at idahoschools.org. 

And those days matter, according to the national nonprofit Attendance Works: “While chronic absence presents academic challenges for students not in class, when it reaches high levels in a classroom or school, all students may suffer because the resulting classroom churn hampers teachers’ ability to engage all students and meet their learning needs.” 

And habitual student absences are often indicative of deeper issues like health problems, lack of transportation, and food insecurity, according to Attendance Works.  

Read on for a look at chronic absenteeism rates statewide, by districts and charters, by large districts, and by student subgroups. 

Statewide Chronic Absenteeism

Highest absenteeism rates among nontraditional local education agencies/charters

Highest absenteeism rates among traditional school districts

Highest absenteeism rates among individual schools

Absenteeism rates at the state’s largest traditional districts

Increases in chronic absenteeism from the prior year are marked in red, decreases in green. 

Absenteeism rates by student subgroups

Increases in chronic absenteeism from the prior year are marked in red, decreases in green. 

Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.