Chronic absenteeism can start gradually, but it can rapidly accelerate with lasting impacts. It’s no secret chronic absenteeism is on the rise in New York City, where absenteeism exceeds the national average. What’s more, students with high rates of absenteeism are at increased risk of falling behind and not graduating from high school. With the new school year just around the corner, this doesn’t have to be our new normal. That’s why our high school in Brooklyn is flipping the script, showing how addressing chronic absenteeism head on is directly leading to higher graduation rates.

Comparable to schools across the nation, the chronic absenteeism we’ve seen in Brooklyn in the last five years is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my 15 years in education. Chronic absenteeism mean

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