Editor’s note: A portion of this essay is excepted from the author’s Substack, The Education Daly.
I recently examined the rise in teacher absenteeism post-pandemic. I concluded that it’s a serious threat to learning recovery, and that it reflects broader shifts in the teacher labor market.
I dug deeper recently by inquiring about the problem in two affluent Chicago-area school districts—Hinsdale, which has seen a sharp rise in absenteeism rates, and Evanston, which surprisingly has reported a steep drop.
I was surprised when neither district confirmed the accuracy of the data they had previously submitted to the state. Instead, they responded with a combination of ambiguity and silence. This, I realized, is becoming familiar. In many ways, it epitomizes our failed pandemic recovery in which schools are stuck in a downward spiral of lost purpose. Teacher absenteeism is just one facet of a broader, grimmer reality.
Our education system is struggling in its entirety. The bounce-back we once envisioned—a fiery national mobilization to overcome learning setbacks—has eluded us. It’s depressingly easy to list the evidence:
- More families are choosing to have their children skip kindergarten.
- Homeschooling is here to stay.
- Fights are breaking out far more often.
- Schools are assigning lenient grades even when students are struggling academically and missing school frequently.
- We lost a generation worth of learning progress on national tests.
- Students in lower-income communities are on such a gradual trajectory that they may never recover.
- College enrollment is down and far fewer Americans believe in the value of higher education.
Against this backdrop, higher teacher absenteeism is predictable. It would be shocking if it had not increased. No group, from students to parents to teachers to administrators, feels the same connection to our schools that they once did. No matter how many times we try to psych ourselves up that now, finally, we’re going to cue the Rocky theme music and sprint up the stairs to the Philly art museum, all we have is false starts. We have districts struggling to count the number of days teachers miss.
This, ultimately, is why I suspect the issue has gotten so little attention. It’s depressing. We don’t know how to solve it. Nobody wants to make teachers feel bad after all they’ve been through. I share that feeling.
But I also believe this: If we don’t start talking openly about the failure of our pandemic recovery, we will be slipping and sliding for another generation. It’s a crisis.
Teacher absenteeism will normalize when everything else normalizes—when our schools regain their core sense of purpose.
Here are some steps that might help:
- Let’s officially move forward. It’s been almost exactly four years since kids nationwide were sent home during the first wave of Covid. A full Olympiad. After all that time, there’s still residue in our schools that needs cleaning out. We need to move on—collectively. I don’t mean we should abandon health mitigation measures and leave those with vulnerable immune systems to fend for themselves. I’m talking about the psychological end of the pandemic’s hold on schools. A national day of remembrance for all those lost during the pandemic. A chance to appreciate everyone from health care providers to neighbors who pulled together to help us get to the other side. A true holiday. And then, a new chapter where schools (and state leaders) re-embrace norms around attendance, engagement, and achievement. It’s time.
- Set some goals. What would it mean for our schools to “recover” from the pandemic? What’s the finish line? Have you seen anyone define it? Lack of clarity about what we’re trying to achieve and by when is impairing our progress. As calls increase for another infusion of federal funding, it’s important that new resources be paired with requirements for states to clearly articulate their targets and timelines for Covid recovery. We need a plan here.
- Focus on first principles at the school level. Some schools lost the thread somewhere in the fog of Covid—understandably. But now, their attention is all over the place. Folks are tired. Instead of staying the course with more professional development sessions on differentiating instruction, such schools should take time getting clear about their basic goals. Back to square one. Physical health and mental well-being have required outsized attention during this era—for good reason. However, we need to refocus on our academic mission. There’s no shame in high standards for our students and high expectations for our educators. Kids can do homework. They can study for tests. They can write essays. They can stay off social media during class. They can submit science fair projects. They can show up five days a week. If we treat our students—particularly those from lower-income backgrounds—as though they are so damaged by the pandemic that they can’t possibly meet real challenges, they won’t. We’ve learned that the hard way.
- Restore state-level accountability. States hit pause on gathering key information and using it to intervene with struggling schools. They had no choice. But some states have waited too long to resume healthy oversight. Data-rich states like Illinois have a head start. However, when districts aren’t accurately reporting basic data like teacher attendance and it isn’t being flagged and addressed through routine quality controls, it’s probably a sign that state agencies can play a more assertive role. Let’s give the public confidence that our schools can execute.
- Sell the value of education. It’s no longer a self-evident proposition for anyone involved. Why does this enterprise warrant so much of our attention and funding? We desperately need to invest in our young people. But taxpayers will be increasingly skeptical if all they read is headlines about kids and teachers not showing up. States—especially those with declining enrollment—should be preparing now. More importantly, our young people aren’t buying in. What’s being done to change that? Until we win them over, we’re stuck.
All of these things are related. Teachers will stop missing days when schools are exciting, vibrant, successful places where they want to spend their time. Students will stop missing days at exactly the same time. It’s been four years. The clock’s ticking.
