Chronic absence occurs when a child misses 10 percent or more days of school, for any reason. When a student is absent, their academic success is negatively impacted and they are less likely to graduate from high school. Moreover, there is a cumulative effect in that children chronically absent one grade are more likely to be chronically absent in subsequent grades. Since the early grades are critical to establishing a foundation for academic success, chronic absence rates in these grades are important. Unfortunately, children experiencing intergenerational poverty are much more likely to be chronically absent.

The indicator provides the percent of kindergarten students experiencing intergenerational poverty who were absent, for any reason, 10 percent or more of the school year.