York High Absenteeism Down, But Still Well Above 2019

ELMHURST, IL – Chronic absenteeism in Elmhurst's middle and high schools dropped last year, while elementary schools stayed the same.

The state tracks chronic absenteeism – the rate of students who are absent 10 percent or more of the days in a school year, whether excused or not.

For a 180-day year, that means a student missed at least 18 days, or 3½ weeks.

At York High, 18 percent of students were chronically absent last year, down from 22 percent a year earlier.

The latest rate is down from 37 percent two years earlier, but up from the 10 percent in 2018-19.

According to the statistics, 10 percent of local middle school students were chronically absent last year, down from 12 percent two years earlier but up from 7 percent in 2018-19.

Elementary schools' chronic absenteeism rate remained at 6 percent for a second year, slightly under the 6.1 percent pre-pandemic rate.

Officials provided the latest numbers during Tuesday's school board meeting. Late next week, the state plans to release statistics for schools across Illinois.

At the meeting, Kevin Rubenstein, assistant superintendent of student services, said Elmhurst followed the national trend of increased absenteeism since the pandemic.

But he said the focused actions of teachers and officials have reversed the pattern.

"We are proud of the nearly 50 percent reduction in chronic absenteeism at York High School since the 2022-23 school year," Rubenstein said. "We anticipate further reductions in chronic absenteeism at York High School."

High schools typically have higher rates than their elementary and middle school counterparts.