For many people, the words “chronic absenteeism” were never heard when they were growing up and going to school. Whether you attended school in the United States or another country, going to school and taking attendance were simply part of the process. Today, chronic absenteeism has become a serious concern across the country.

In Iowa, chronic absenteeism means a student misses more than 10% of school during a grading period, which is around 7 days a semester. According to Attendance Works, this became a focus after the COVID-19 pandemic when at least 14.7 million students were chronically absent during the 2020-21 school year. Missing 10% or more of school can make it harder for students to learn to read, succeed in middle school, and graduate from high school. According to Attendance Works, students facing poverty and other challenges can be affected even more .

There are many reasons students miss school. At Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD), some of the most common reasons we see are illness, mental health needs, family trips, transportation problems, and school avoidance or skipping, especially in the upper grades. Attendance can be a sign of a bigger issue that is keeping a student from being in class and ready to learn. As parents and guardians, it is easy to look at each absence on its own. A child is sick one day, has a doctor’s appointment another day, or misses school for a family trip. 

MCSD understands that life happens, and we will always support our families. What we sometimes do not realize is how quickly absences can add up. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep absences under 10%, or about seven days in a semester. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. Missing part of the day matters, too. Attendance is taken by the minute because every minute of learning counts. Students are not only learning academics. They are building relationships, learning social skills, and becoming part of their school community.

Iowa has also taken steps to address attendance. Senate File 2435, signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds in 2024, created new requirements for schools to address chronic absenteeism and support students who are missing too much school. We are proud of the progress MCSD has made. The Iowa School Performance Profile reported that our chronic absenteeism rate was 31.86% in 2024 and dropped to 26.03% in 2025. We want to keep working together in partnership with families to reduce absenteeism, by communicating regularly with families, embracing family and community engagement, and building a sense of belonging across all of our buildings. 

It takes all of us to do this work! It will take every parent, guardian, teacher, staff member, community member, and student working together. Showing up is more than a green check mark. It is a step toward learning, belonging, and a brighter future. We believe every student has that future, and we are here to help them reach it by showing up every day.