A superintendent’s view: Engagement, not enforcement, is the answer to absenteeism

Tuesday, March 17, 2026Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent, Ithaca City School DistrictView original

Chronic absenteeism rarely begins with a student deciding to break a rule--more often, it reflects a gradual erosion of engagement.

Chronic student absenteeism has reached troubling new heights in the post-pandemic K-12 landscape, with one in four students in many systems now missing significant class time.