LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - District officials say there’s been a steady uptick in chronically absent students since the pandemic.

For context, the district’s absenteeism rate hung around 13 to 17 percent each school year on average.

While it’s still plenty, Last year’s rate jumped to a staggering 25 percent. The district says the number is growing for a range of reasons.

They say they can help, but they have to get those students in the building first.

“Life is hard,” said Ryan Zabawa, the Director of Student Services at LPS. “There are a lot of barriers in our society, but school has to be a priority.”

Zabawa said the district considers a student missing more than 10 percent of the school year to be chronically absent.

That equals about 10 days a year or 2 days a month.

Last school yea

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