Amid all the planning and preparation for the first day of school for most Minnesota students Tuesday, the goal of many school leaders is remarkably basic: Get more kids to show up to school on time, every day.
The percentage of students who are chronically absent — defined as missing more than 10% of the year — surged after the pandemic. While the rate has started to tick down in Minnesota, boosting attendance remains a stubborn problem in the state and nationally. In the 2022-23 school year, one of every four students was chronically absent, according to state data. Sixty school districts across the state had consistent attendance rates below 50%.
To combat the issue, districts have stepped up intervention programs, launched marketing campaigns about the importance of regular attendance and dedicated staff positions to identify and reach out to missing students. The Legislature created a work group to find solutions to absenteeism and truancy. And a dozen school districts across Minnesota are meeting monthly as part of a pilot program aimed at improving attendance.
“It was front of mind for all of us last year, and it’s going to be front of mind this year too,” said Jenna Mitchler, Bloomington Public Schools associate superintendent. “We know that when students have poor attendance they’re at risk for not reading at grade level ... and they’re probably at risk of not graduating on time.”
Combating the issue requires a team effort, Education Commissioner Willie Jett said: “It’s going to take social workers and counselors and families, and people all throughout the communities, to come together to talk about the importance of attendance in school.”
Fridley Public Schools recently hired a social worker solely focused on connecting with and supporting students who are missing a critical amount of school. The social worker will offer individual and group counseling to students who are struggling with attendance and at risk of dropping out. They’ll connect with those students’ families to identify the reasons they are missing class and create individualized support plans.
“We want to break down the barriers for our students,” Laura Seifert-Hertling, the district’s director of special services, said.

Those barriers often vary, said Fridley Public School Superintendent, Brenda Lewis, and can include transportation issues, substance use in the home or mental health issues. Some families who are new to the United States may not know the expectations of school attendance and the laws around truancy, Lewis said.