New report shows 8,000 Fewer NJ Students Missing Too Much School, but More Work Needed

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In its third annual report released yesterday, “Showing Up Matters: The State of Chronic Absenteeism in New Jersey,”  ACNJ found roughly 8,000 fewer New Jersey students were chronically absent between the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years. The number of K-12 students identified as missing too much school fell from 136,000 to 129,000 children in total, nudging the statewide chronic absenteeism rate from 10.3 to 9.7 percent.

ACNJ also saw a decrease in the number of high-absentee school districts (districts with 10 percent or more of their students chronically absent) from 216 to 192 school districts. “Chronically absent” is defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year, or about 18 days of instruction, including excused and unexcused absences and suspensions.

ACNJ is calling for the State Assembly to vote on a chronic absenteeism bill (A-2352) which unanimously passed in the New Jersey Senate (S-447) this past June.  Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), the bill's main sponsor in the Assembly, joined the press conference. Read more.

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Find out if your school district has a high absentee rate.

See pics of the press conference.

Read news coverage:

About 130,000 kids are chronically absent from NJ schools, NJ 101.5

Daily Number -8,000, NJ Spotlight

Report finds fewer NJ students are chronically absent, NJTV

More South Jersey students chronically absent, new report shows,  Press of Atlantic City

Report: 12 county districts have over 10 percent chronic absenteeism, Burlington County Times