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Mamdani’s top task to fix NYC schools: make kids show up

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New York City’s students will return to school this week — sort of: One in three of them will miss at least 10% of the school year.

Chronic absenteeism is the most obvious obstacle to student achievement.

Even if the city Department of Education boasted the best curriculum, the most qualified teachers and limitless cash, kids can’t learn if they’re not physically present.

Is it any wonder half won’t finish the school year reading at grade level?

Chronic absenteeism exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains stubbornly high.

In the 2018-19 academic year it stood at 26.5%, only to spike to 34.8% five years later.

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The bad habits start young: 37.8% of kindergarteners were chronically absent in the 2024-25 school year.

A robust body of research correlates absenteeism, especially in early grades, with negative outcomes in school and later in life, including poorer standardized test scores and greater likelihood of drug use and criminal-justice involvement.

Unexcused absences, which make up the largest share of overall absenteeism, have the biggest impact on academic performance.

High rates of absenteeism can disrupt classroom instruction and make it harder for peers with consistent attendance to........

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