Board of Education will again consider chronic absenteeism in school accreditation decisions

Virginia will again begin evaluating schools’ efforts to get students into classes regularly as part of school accreditation decisions after the Board of Education rejected a request from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration.

Last Thursday, with student absences due to illness still high, the Department of Education recommended suspending the use of chronic absenteeism as a factor in accreditation for the second straight year, but the proposal was rejected by the Board of Education in a 6-2 vote.

Student absences for 10% or more of the academic year — a period equal to 18 or more days — are classified as chronic absenteeism, one of nine factors the state looks at when determining whether a school meets the state’s educational standards.

During the pandemic, more students missed 18 or more days of school than ever before, according to the department.

Last year, the board suspended use of the indicator in accreditation decisions due to COVID-19 and a spike in respiratory illnesses among youth.

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