Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.
Or one day every two weeks. Which doesn’t seem that bad, when you consider normal cadence of dentist visits, checkups, vacations, and the occasional 3 day flu.