Chronic school absences reach record levels in California, but so do graduation rates

RATES OF CHRONICALLY absent students in California in 2021-22 nearly tripled statewide from before the pandemic to record levels: 30 percent for kindergartners and the state overall, and 42.5 percent for Black students, the California Department of Education reported Thursday.

After a year in remote learning, rates soared when schools reopened only to face surges in COVID, disrupting families while creating challenges for re-engaging many students. Among the most alarming rates were for kindergartners: 30 percent — almost double the pre-pandemic rate.