The number of children missing school in Indiana continues to decline following a surge after the start of the pandemic in early 2020, according to the state’s latest data on chronic absenteeism.
The state average is now 14.9% of students chronically absent for the 2025-26 school year, down almost 2 percentage points from the 2024-25 school year.
A student is labeled chronically absent when they miss 10% of the school year, or about 18 days, even if the absences are marked excused.
Attendance is a key indicator of a student’s success, and research shows that students who attend school regularly tend to achieve better results than those who often miss school.
The 2025-26 data marks the fourth year in a row that Indiana’s rate has declined since seeing a high of 21% in 2021-22.
During the pandemic, Indiana’s chronic absenteeism rate jumped, causing state leaders to create new laws around what could happen to students, families and schools if a student misses too much school.
When a student misses five or more days of school without an excuse within a 10-week period, they are considered an “absent student.” Schools must notify parents and hold an attendance conference.
When a student is habitually truant, meaning they have 10 or more unexcused absences in a school year, schools must report the students to local prosecutors. However, prosecutors are not required to file charges. State law also outlines some of the other steps prosecutors can take, such as meeting with families, educators or service providers; preparing intervention plans; or connecting families with care such as family counseling and mental health services.
The value of school
Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said that while the latest data showed all grade levels improved for the fourth consecutive year, students in grades 9-12 still have the highest absenteeism rates.
“The vast majority of students said they were missing because they didn't see the relevance in high school. They didn't see the value,” Jenner said. “They could miss and still make it through.”
Jenner and other state leaders said this is why their work on “revamping” the high school experience has been a key goal in the last few years. This includes the development of the new high school diploma and an emphasis on more work-based learning opportunities in high school.
Most ethnic student groups also saw improved rates for the fourth year in a row, except American Indian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students.
Students receiving free and reduced-price meals and English learning students also saw improved rates for the fourth year in a row.
The Department of Education said that some of the tactics that have yielded the best results for schools when it comes to addressing absenteeism are consistent attendance-taking practices, engagement and support for families.
School absenteeism rates will be one of the factors considered in the state’s new A-F letter grades for schools, which will be issued again later this year.
Contact Government Reporter Caroline Beck at cbeck@wfyi.org.
