Leon County Schools: Over 42% of High School Students Chronically Absent

During the Leon County School Board retreat, school officials provided an update on the problem with absenteeism. Data provided by officials showed that during the first nine weeks of the 2023-24 school year, 27.3% of LCS students were chronically absent, see table below.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as any student that misses 10% or more of schooling each year.

However, during the second nine weeks of 2023-24, the number of chronically absent students increased to 36.5%.

The second table provided below shows that that over 42% of high school students (grades 9-12) were chronically absent.

Back in October, Tallahassee Reports did a story comparing chronic absenteeism in Leon County compared to the state average. The numbers indicated that in 2022 approximately 23% of students were chronically absent. The data also showed that beginning in 2018, the number of chronically absent students in Leon County surpassed the state average.

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Steve Stewart

Steve Stewart is the founder and editor of Tallahassee Reports which began in 2009 as an online blog. Steve received a Bachelors Degree from Clemson University in 1984 and a Masters degree in Political Science from FSU in 1990. He has been involved with state and local politics since arriving in Tallahassee in 1989.

View all posts by Steve Stewart →

12 Comments

  1. It’s Complicated
    It’s Complicated

    Isn’t there an attendance threshold requirement to be promoted to the next grade?

  2. Lisa L.
    Lisa L.

    Does "chronically absent" include excused absences?

  3. Edward Lyle
    Edward Lyle

    As always; You will never solve a problem you willing refuse to recognize.

    The intentional destruction of the family unit, no discipline in the home, absentee baby daddy’s, unprecedented level of teenage pregnancy and out-of-wedlock birth rates, entitlement mattresses popping out subsidy checks and club’n instead of mothering. Toss in a Public Indoctrination System that teaches hate, activism, and transdelusionalism - instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic - and you get what we have.

    Very sad.

  4. News Maven
    News Maven

    @ Joe:
    You’re confusing indoctrination with education.

  5. Joe
    Joe

    News Maven: We as a society benefit from an educated population. Even if you have no children, you benefit from having children in this city being educated.

  6. Jeff
    Jeff

    It would be nice to know the statistics by each school.

  7. LCS Parent
    LCS Parent

    Do they provide the definition of "absent"? When I look at my child's attendance in the Focus portal, tardies are listed under the heading of absences. It would also be interesting to know if these are full-day or partial day absences. Is my child missing his 5th period weight lifting class to attend a dental appointment counted equally as when he misses a full day for an illness?

  8. Publius
    Publius

    Great investigative reporting.How do these stats compare to the other 66 Florida counties?

  9. News Maven
    News Maven

    There should be a Property Tax exemption for childless homeowners. Why are we forced to subsidize a substandard indoctrination system if we have no kids to brainwash?

    ESPECIALLY that useless money grab for the Children’s Services Slush Fund.

  10. Proud Rural Redneck
    Proud Rural Redneck

    At this point, what difference does it make. Most kids don’t know what a woman is. Queers students are standing up for Palestine, college grads think their loans should be forgiven. Employers are finding some college grads are not ready for the work place. And some women want to boast they had an abortion. If kids don’t want to attend class, who cares. Grow up stupid. Pursue a life of crime. Get on the welfare rolls.

  11. Resident Since 1990
    Resident Since 1990

    A great class project for a FAMU sociology teacher to assign his/her students to find out why absences are so high and offer possible solutions!
    Do college students do this real life research?

  12. David T. Hawkins
    David T. Hawkins

    Looks like you need to be talking to the Parents on this and find out WHY their Kid is missing so much School.

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