After years of being at the bottom of the barrel for school attendance in the nation, Oregon schools have shown a glimmer of progress. An analysis by the Oregon Journalism Project (OJP) of recent data reveals that regular statewide attendance in the first half of the school year has risen to 70.6%, a 3 percentage point increase over the previous year. However, nearly a third of Oregon students remain chronically absent, missing at least 10% of school days, or about two days a month. This chronic absenteeism has been a persistent issue, with Oregon ranking among the nation's worst for the past decade, according to FutureEd, a policy think tank at Georgetown University. For the 2024-25 school year, only Alaska and the District of Columbia had worse rates of chronic absenteeism, with Oregon's 33.5% far surpassing the national average of 22%.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the historical lack of transparency in attendance reporting by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). Traditionally, attendance reports have been shared months after the school year ends, which is in stark contrast to Rhode Island, where daily attendance tracking and real-time sharing of results on a dashboard allow users to monitor chronic absenteeism much like investors follow key economic indicators. To set a higher standard of transparency, OJP obtained 2025-26 attendance data via public records requests, creating a first-of-its-kind searchable database.
This tracker not only provides insights into regular school attendance, defined as attending 90% or more of school days, but also highlights the paramount importance of consistent attendance for Oregon's academic success, especially in early literacy. Oregon's fourth-grade reading scores rank last in the nation, adjusted for demographics, according to an Urban Institute analysis. The tracker allows Oregonians to compare attendance rates from August to December 2025 with the previous year, search by school name, or sort by enrollment, county, or change in attendance rate.
While the overall attendance rate has increased, with Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders showing the highest gain of 4 percentage points and Hispanic students seeing a 2.8-point increase, all students of color, except Asian students, still have lower attendance rates than the student population as a whole. This raises a deeper question: What underlying factors contribute to these disparities, and what can be done to address them?
One thing that immediately stands out is the significant variation in attendance rates across individual schools. Schools like Lincoln School of Early Learning in Coos County, Dufur School in Wasco County, Oregon Family School in Harney County, Centennial Elementary in Linn County, and Roosevelt Elementary in Klamath County have seen substantial gains in regular attendance, with increases ranging from 20.2% to 37.3%. Conversely, Powers High School in Coos County and the Jewell School District in Clatsop County have experienced sharp drops in attendance, from 78.9% to 35.5%.
The Oregon Legislature has passed a law requiring the state to share attendance data more frequently—four times a year. The first report is expected in the fall, and until then, OJP will continue to update its statewide Attendance Tracker. This increased transparency is a step in the right direction, but it raises a broader question: How can we leverage this data to develop more effective policies and interventions to address chronic absenteeism and improve educational outcomes for all students?
In my opinion, the key to addressing chronic absenteeism lies in understanding the complex interplay of factors that contribute to it. From my perspective, this includes socioeconomic status, family involvement, school environment, and access to support services. By taking a holistic approach that addresses these interconnected issues, we can develop more comprehensive and effective solutions to improve attendance and academic achievement for all students. Personally, I think that this requires collaboration between educators, policymakers, community organizations, and families to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment that values and prioritizes the attendance and engagement of every student.
