By Jane Meredith Adams
With chronic absenteeism costing California school districts millions and putting huge numbers of students at academic risk, schools from Willits to Los Angeles and beyond are working harder than ever to address the root causes of absenteeism, including student health, family distress and how connected students feel to adults at school.
Schools have always been concerned about students missing school, but there’s a new focus on those who are chronically absent – defined as those who miss 10 percent or more of the school year in excused or unexcused absences.