Arlington school leaders are making strides in reducing chronic student absenteeism, but the results have been uneven.
Twenty-eight county schools showed year-over-year declines in chronic-absentee rates in the second quarter of 2024-25. But 11 posted an increase, Superintendent Francisco Durán told School Board members last week.
Despite an overall decline of 2.3% in the chronic-absentee rate, “this remains a very important, key area for us,” the superintendent said during his presentation.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student being absent from class more than 10% of the time. In the most recent data (from 2023) presented to School Board members at the meeting, Arlington’s rate was 13.5%.
School officials say students who are frequently absent have lower grade-point averages, worse test-score results and are 15 times less likely to graduate on time than those in classes more of the time.
Durán said addressing chronic absenteeism isn’t something the school system can do on its own. It is, he said, “a partnership between our schools, our families and our students,” and urged parents to contact their schools for help, if needed.
“Let us know right away — don’t wait until it becomes too much of a barrier,” he said. “We’re going to continue to provide support. We are working very hard.”
That plea was echoed by School Board member Bethany Zecher Sutton.
“Parents and guardians should not hesitate reaching out,” she said. “We have a strong commitment to each and every one of our students being successful.”
School leaders later this month will convene an “attendance summit” of administrators, focusing on schools with the highest absentee rates.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration and the Virginia Department of Education have pressed localities to focus on absenteeism, which spiked during the Covid era when learning moved to an online platform.
