NJ Schools With The Worst Attendance Record: See Full District List

NEW JERSEY - The rate of chronic absenteeism, or missing at least 10 percent of school days in a year, is on the rise in NJ, according to the latest New Jersey Department of Education data.

The spike began after the COVID-19 pandemic swiftly moved all Garden State K-12 schools to remote learning in March 2020, with chronic absenteeism rates jumping from 10.6 percent in the 2018-19 school year to 16.6 percent in 2022-23.

Compared to 37 other states that year, New Jersey reported the lowest rate of chronic absenteeism, according to the DOE. Yet, 214,698 New Jersey K-12 students were still chronically absent in 2022-23. That's up 34.76 percent from 140,068 students a decade prior.

Of those students chronically absent in 2022-23, 23.6 percent of students identified as Black and another 20.4 percent identified as Hispanic. Less than 13 percent of chronically absent students that identified as white during the same period.

Read more: New NJ School Performance Reports Released: See District Rankings

In a memo dated April 3, the Department of Education addressed the issue of chronic absenteeism in the state, emphasizing the benefit of safe and positive school environments in the fight to lower absenteeism rates.

The vast majority of schools with over 80 percent chronically absent students serves homeless and/or economically disadvantaged populations, according to DOE records.

"The NJDOE operates with the researched-based understanding that positive school climate and culture can help prevent chronic absenteeism and foster regular student attendance," the DOE wrote.

"When students feel safe, supported, and engaged, they are more likely to attend school consistently.”

Highest rates of districtwide chronic absenteeism, per New Jersey Department of Education data:

1. LEAD Charter School, Essex County: 50.8 percent
2. TEAM Academy Charter School, Essex County: 48.1 percent
3. Roseville Community Charter School, Essex County: 44.8 percent
4. KIPP Cooper Norcross (A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation), Camden County: 44 percent
5. Trenton Public School District, Mercer County: 42.2 percent
6. Paterson Public School District, Passaic County: 41.6 percent
7. Camden City School District, Camden County: 40.7 percent
8. Hope Community Charter School, Camden County: 40.2 percent
9. Millville Public Charter School, Cumberland County: 38.7 percent
10. Atlantic Community Charter School, Atlantic County: 38.6 percent

Click here to view the full district-by-district breakdown.

This article previously contained data pertaining to marginalized student populations. Patch has updated this data to reflect districtwide chronic absenteeism rates. Patch deeply regrets this error.