Absence
Two Vermont Districts Where Most Students Are Chronically Absent
Rutland City at 56.7% and Winooski at 52.5% are Vermont's only districts where a majority of students miss 10% or more of school days.
Vermont
Education News & Data
Local education reporting from every corner of Vermont, grounded in Vermont Department of Education data.
One in Four of Vermont's Chronically Absent Students Receives Special Education Services
Students receiving special education services make up 25.4% of Vermont's chronically absent and recovered just 24.8% from the COVID peak, far less than their peers.
19 Vermont Districts Improved Their Chronic Absenteeism Every Year Since the 2022 Peak
Three-quarters of Vermont districts with complete data cut their chronic rate in consecutive years, though many remain well above pre-COVID baselines.
Kingdom East Cut Its Chronic Absenteeism Rate by 28 Points in Two Years
Vermont's Northeast Kingdom district went from 50.6% to 22.5% chronic absenteeism, the largest turnaround in the state, with nearby St. Johnsbury showing a similar pattern.
Vermont's Chronic Absenteeism Recovery Is Real, But Slower for Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch
Vermont's chronic absenteeism among students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch fell from a 2023 peak, but recovery has been slower than for their peers.
More Coverage
District Spotlight
Champlain Valley Cut Its Chronic Absenteeism Rate in Half — to Under 10%
Vermont's largest district dropped chronic absenteeism from 21.3% to 9.9% in two years, using student engagement surveys to guide its approach.
Equity
Winooski's 23-Point Chronic Absenteeism Spike Coincides With Immigration Crackdown
Winooski SD, Vermont's most diverse district, saw chronic absenteeism surge from 29% to 53% in one year as immigration enforcement heightened student anxiety.
Absence
One in Four Vermont Students Still Chronically Absent — And the Recovery Is Stalling
Vermont's chronic absenteeism peaked at 37.4% in 2022 and has recovered only 59% of the way back. The improvement decelerated from 10.5 points to 2.6 points in one year.
