The Missing Link in School Attendance:
Why Connection Matters More Than Ever
By Laura Adams
President & Founder, iCARE4 Adoptive And Foster Families
Chronic Absenteeism: Still 50% Higher Than Before the Pandemic
Five years after COVID-19 disrupted our classrooms, students still aren’t showing up like they used to.
The numbers are stark:
- Chronic absenteeism is 50% higher than before the pandemic.
- Nearly 1 in 4 students miss 18+ days of school per year.
- The rise cuts across all demographics — high- and low-income, high- and low-achievers alike.
Why?
- Mental health struggles
- Transportation barriers
- Disengagement (“school is boring”)
- A cultural shift that makes in-person attendance feel optional
These trends threaten not just academics but lifelong habits that employers and communities depend on.
The Research: Insights That Matter
The Hechinger Report and American Enterprise Institute highlight:
- It’s widespread: “An unfortunate tide where all boats rose.”
- Not just the ‘most at-risk’: Even top-achieving districts saw absenteeism jump 50%.
- It’s cultural: Technology and hybrid norms make physical presence feel less essential.
- It’s personal: Trauma, anxiety, and disconnection are at the root for many students.
iCARE’s Approach: Building Schools That Heal
At iCARE4 Adoptive And Foster Families, we see this truth every day: attendance is not just a compliance issue — it’s a connection issue.
Through our Connected, We Thrive™ professional development series and bilingual Connection Kits™, we help schools:
- Build relational trust between students, staff, and families
- Create regulation-ready, emotionally safe classrooms
- Equip teams to respond with empathy and skill — especially for children with complex life stories
Our goal: Every child feels seen, supported, and safe at school — because when that happens, showing up becomes natural.
What Works: Connection-First Strategies
Across the country, schools cutting absenteeism are doing one thing consistently: building relationships.
Examples from the research:
- Small “pods” of students and teachers to foster belonging and daily accountability
- Every student paired with a caring adult mentor who checks in daily or weekly
- Removing barriers like transportation gaps or food insecurity
- Positive touchpoints — morning greetings, notes on desks, even biscuits and gravy breakfasts
“Relationships drive everything. If I feel a sense of belonging, I’m more likely to come to school.” — Albuquerque school leader
The Bottom Line
Reversing absenteeism will take more than attendance tracking. It will take:
- Daily, intentional relationship-building
- Meeting students’ basic needs
- Making school a place students want to be
The research is clear. Connection isn’t “nice to have.” It’s essential.
Read the full research here:
