WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paid a visit to a school in the nation's capital on Monday to mark the start of the school year.
Many schools across the country are dealing with an increase in chronic student absenteeism since the start of the pandemic, with Washington being the hardest hit so far. A new study found millions of students were chronically absent last year, missing at least 10 percent of the school year.
The COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have had a negative impact on schools and students. Since schools reopened during the pandemic, student absenteeism has reached record levels nationwide. According to a study by Stanford University education professor Thomas Dee and the Associated Press, more than 25 percent of students are chronically absent, compared to 15 percent prior to the pandemic.
Public school absenteeism in Washington is among the worst in the nation.
The study also found that an estimated 6.5 million additional students have become chronically absent. Absences are more widespread among Latino, black, and low-income students, according to the analysis.
Another study by the National Center for Education Statistics last year found that more than 80 percent of U.S. public schools reported that the pandemic has negatively impacted student behavior and socio-emotional development. Public schools reported needing more support for student mental health, according to the study.
"Compared to a typical school year prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 72 percent of U.S. public schools reported an increase in chronic absenteeism among their students," the report stated. During the same period, 72 percent of public schools reported an increase in teacher absences as well.
According to the White House, the president secured $130 billion through the American Rescue Plan, calling it "the largest investment" in the country's public school system. It was designed to help students return to school and recover academically, but given the dismal recovery, some are questioning if the president's approach is working.
There is still work to be done, and the president is committed to doing more to assist schools and children, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday.
"Remember when the President walked in, more than 50 percent of schools were shut down because of COVID; because the last administration didn't have a comprehensive plan to deal with COVID," she said.
She also stated that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona will go on a nationwide bus tour to explain how the administration is working to improve schools.