Nationwide, the chronic absenteeism rate before the COVID-19 pandemic was roughly 15%, according to the report. The rise and fall of chronic absenteeism is found across Michigan school districts. Chronic absenteeism in Reed Area Public Schools stood at 11% in 2019 but more than quadrupled to 44% in 2022. Three states and the District of Columbia had a chronic absenteeism rate of more than 30% in 2025: Alaska, New Mexico and Oregon. The school district in the affluent Michigan city of Northville, for example, had a chronic absenteeism rate of 7% in 2019.