Student absences at local schools have declined slightly over the past year but remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to new data.
At a recent school board meeting, Maine School Administrative District 75 Superintendent of Schools Heidi O’Leary presented data on absences at the district’s five elementary schools, middle school and high school. MSAD 75 covers Harpswell, Topsham, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham.
Absences during the 2023-24 school year were down slightly from the previous year but still higher than in the years immediately preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, according to O’Leary.
Across the district, the average share of students absent from school was 6.2% in 2023-24, down from 6.5% the previous year but still higher than the 2018-19 average of 5%.
The share of chronic absences — defined as at least 10 total absences in a six-month period or seven consecutive absences — also remained elevated.
Among all of MSAD 75’s student absences in 2023-24, 15.1% were considered chronic absences, down from 16.2% the previous year but significantly higher than the 9.4% share in 2018-19.
O’Leary noted that many other Maine school districts are experiencing a similar trend, adding that contributing factors include mental health issues, homelessness, and food and shelter insecurity.
She said the district would take steps such as investigating the factors causing higher absence rates at specific schools, developing targeted interventions for chronically absent students, and engaging with families and the community to improve attendance.
“If you’re not coming to school, then there’s a reason why,” O’Leary told the school board at its Oct. 3 meeting. “We’d like to work backwards and figure out what those stories are.”
At Topsham’s Mt. Ararat High School, 7% of students were absent on average in 2023-24, the highest in recent years. That figure was 6.5% in 2022-23, and 5.3% in 2018-19.
Chronic absences at the high school comprised 17.8% of all absences, up from 16.4% the previous year and 13.8% in 2018-19.
Absence rates were similar at Mt. Ararat Middle School, also in Topsham. In 2023-24, 7% of students were absent on average, compared with 7.3% in 2022-23 and 5.1% in 2018-19.
Chronic absences at the middle school made up 20.6% of all absences, down from 20.9% the previous year but nearly double the 11% share in 2018-19.
The absentee rate at Harpswell Community School was 6.2% in 2023-24, down from 7.4% the previous year but above the 2018-19 school year’s rate of 5.5%.
Chronic absences at the Harpswell school made up 13.9% of all absences, down substantially from 22.1% the previous year but still higher than the 11.3% share in 2018-19.
O’Leary said young people ages 6 through 17 are required by law to attend at least 175 days of public school each year or an approved alternative such as private school or home instruction.
Valid excuses for being absent include mental or physical illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, and other personal or family disruptions, including homelessness or hospitalization, she said.
While such absences are considered excused, they are still included in the data and count toward chronic absenteeism rates that are reported to the state.
“The purpose, really, of compulsory education is that it’s essential to preserving rights and liberties,” O’Leary told the school board. “Everybody has a right to access public education, and it’s necessary for an educated citizenry.”
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