Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Truancy

empty school desks
Fall 2024

Why are they absent?

Q&A with Washington State University researchers on assessing chronic absenteeism and truancy in schools

The number of students who regularly miss school has caused a truancy crisis across the country. The pandemic definitely inflamed the problem, but it hasn’t eased much in recent years. Chronic absenteeism—defined differently across the states but generally means regularly missing a lot of classes—significantly affects Washington state too.

To get some insight into chronic absenteeism, Washington State Magazine talked to four experts from Washington State University:

Brian French: Berry Family Distinguished and Regents Professor, College of Education, WSU Pullman
Paul Strand: Professor, » More …