Previous posts in the series highlight the numbers around the chronic absentee issue facing Kentucky schools across the state. In this post, we consider the story these numbers can’t tell. Identifying who is missing school and how much school they are missing in isolation can create a blind spot. To really understand the story behind the data, we need to read between the lines.

Studies have highlighted that for many students; chronic absenteeism has roots in factors outside of the school walls. In a recent study in an urban school district of 5,200 chronically absent students, health-related barriers were identified as the primary reason for absences in 71% of cases.¹ A further 18% stated social barriers were a primary reason students missed school. The researchers found that attendance challenges were often linked to acute and chronic illness, mental and behavioral health needs, family-related challenges along with transportation difficulties, and housing or financial instability. These findings continue to highlight other studies that chronic absenteeism is often less about a student’s desire to show up at school and more about the circumstances affecting their ability to get there.

To get a better idea of what these hurdles actually look like in daily life, check out a breakdown of the top 10 reasons families struggle with attendance according to the study.²

In this post, we take a closer look at the importance of everyday human factors largely missing from traditional attendance conversations.

Making a Case for Student Well-Being Data

Unfortunately, on their own standard attendance reports are not enough. They can tell us when a seat is empty and who that seat belongs to, but not why it’s empty. If we want to get to the heart of chronic absenteeism, we have to talk about the “why”—and that requires looking at the lived experiences behind the numbers.³ That’s where local schools have an amazing opportunity to take the lead in understanding what’s causing chronic absenteeism in their community. By finding creative ways to ask students how they are doing and how they feel about school, districts can figure out what’s really going on in their buildings.

At the state level, we do have a fantastic tool in the Quality of School Safety and Climate Survey, but because it’s only given to certain tested grades, it leaves us with a bit of a puzzle for the rest of our student body.

In the meantime, we can fill in those blanks by learning to read between the lines of the data we already have. Examining attendance data at the daily or class-period level can reveal a lot about the student experience across every single grade. For example, when we see patterns like specific class-period skips, afternoon attendance dips, or sharp drops during certain seasons and grade transitions, the numbers are sending a clear signal. They often mirror invisible challenges like a spike in bullying, a gap in local mental health resources, or just how welcoming a hallway feels to an anxious kid.

Our current tracking systems show us the results of those feelings – an empty seat. But catching these patterns is the first step toward moving past simply identifying if a student is out and towards discovering how we can encourage them to want to be there.

Looking Outside the School for Direction

The truth is that chronic absenteeism is rarely just about a student’s motivation. More often than not, it comes down to the real-world logistical hurdles our families are facing every day. To really see the blind spots, we have to look outside the school walls and think about the pressures hitting the adults living in the households of these students.

When we look at attendance through a neighborhood lens, we stop seeing “unmotivated students” and start seeing systemic barriers. Many times, poor student attendance just reflects what parents are dealing with at home. What we’re talking about here are everyday realities like sudden housing instability, unpredictable work shifts, or rural transportation gaps with long bus routes and no other way to get around.⁴ Beyond just physical hurdles, sometimes it’s a parent battling severe anxiety or depression, which can make the simple act of getting kids up, dressed, and out the door on time feel insurmountable. Circumstances matter and given the unique situations families face, getting a child off to school can become an uphill battle—not a lack of effort.

The goal isn’t just to improve our state percentages for accountability’s sake but about creating schools where students feel safe and supported enough to show up and building the community partnerships necessary to help their families get them there.

Join the Conversation

How is your school or district looking beyond traditional attendance reports to support families? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments by sharing the creative data solutions working in your community.

Coming Up in the Series

In our next post, we welcome a guest contributor as we explore how districts can transform their approach to community and family partnerships.

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1 Shankar et al. (2025). Health-Related and Social Drivers of Chronic Absenteeism in an Urban School District. Academic Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2025.103113

2 Data and illustrative quotes adapted from Table 2 of “Health-Related and Social Drivers of Chronic Absenteeism in an Urban School District” by Shankar et al. (2025), published in the National Clinician Scholars Program / Academic Pediatrics.
3 Van Eck, K., et al. (2017). How school climate relates to chronic absence. Journal of School Psychology. Read the full study here.
4 Germain, E., et al. (2024). Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Lessons From Community Schools. Learning Policy Institute. Access the full report here.