Chronic absenteeism rarely begins with a student deciding to break a rule--more often, it reflects a gradual erosion of engagement.

Staunton City Schools has reduced chronic absenteeism from 31% in 2021-22 to 12.6% in 2024-25, an effort spotlighted by U.S. Department of Education.

Leanna Pitsoulakis took a lap around her freshmen honors math class at Carl Sandburg High School, scanning the work spread across each student’s desk before returning to the front of the room with a ...