Is chronic absenteeism really a big deal?
You betcha it is! Without sufficient student seat time, reading and math skills are not properly developed, age-related academic milestones are not met, comprehension in all subjects suffers, postsecondary education and workforce prospects wither, and negative anti-social behaviors will intercede.
The topic of chronic absenteeism arose during a Feb. 2, 2026 education budget proposal to the Alabama Legislature by State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey. During his presentation, Mackey cited a July 2025 report claiming that Alabama has the lowest Chronic Absenteeism Rate (CAR) among all other states! Kudos to our schools – we will take that win!
But there is more to this story. According to Future Ed, an educational affiliate of Georgetown University, Alabama’s CAR was 11.2% in 2018 compared to the national rate of 15%.
Along came the COVID-19 pandemic and the Alabama / National CAR mushroomed, as shown in the numbers below:
2019 – 11.0% / 13.3%
2020 – N/A / 18.9%
2021 – 17.9% / 28.5%
2022 – 17.9% / 25.4%
2023 – 14.8% / 23.5%
2024 – 12.1% / 21.8%
How much more ironic can it be that Alabama’s CAR increased between 2018 and 2024 statewide … yet our state superintendent of education boasts about having the nation’s lowest rate? The issue has not been solved; it has worsened.
Aware that the pandemic intensified the effects of chronic absenteeism, the Alabama Workforce Council formed a “Select Committee on Abating Chronic Absenteeism” in 2023, which I chaired. With the governor’s approval, the committee consisted of six educators and six industrialists who were tasked with finding ways to reduce Alabama’s CAR.
After six to seven months of intensive meetings, the report of their findings was sent to the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) and the Alabama State Board of Education (SBOE) in late May of 2023. The Select Committee generated new tools, new approaches, and new methods to combat the ailment of chronic absenteeism, several of which are mentioned in the Future Ed Legislative Tracker: 2026 Chronic Absenteeism Bills.
Future Ed lists 20 states and the District of Columbia seeking legislative assistance to implement means and methods that strive to cure the blight of chronic absenteeism. This list is a tremendous source of methods other states are implementing to better their K-12 product. Alabama is not on the list.
We may never know why the committee’s report was ignored by the ALSDE and ALSBE. The department is surely working on some measures to reduce this chronic ailment. With a 10% relative increase in Alabama’s CAR since 2018, it’s time for the ALSDE, the SBOE and Mackey to stop hiding behind national comparisons.
The real damage caused by this sleight of hand is that it sends the message that the problem has been solved.
Admittedly, there is no easy fix, as administrators, teachers and parents must grapple with this mammoth issue. It is high time we roll up our sleeves and effectively implement the recommendations contained in the industry-educator supported report which you can peruse for yourself below.
Allen Harris is a businessman, no stranger to the political arena and is involved in workforce development. He can be reached at [email protected].
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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