MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

In this country, students are missing an alarming amount of school, a trend that began during the pandemic. And one of the grades where kids are missing the most might surprise you. It's kindergarten. NPR's Cory Turner visited a district in California Central Valley that's doing something about it.

MAYTE RAMIREZ: As you can see, there's a lot. Out of town, back on Wednesday, appointment, ear infection, sick.

CORY TURNER, BYLINE: In Livingston, Calif., elementary school principal Mayte Ramirez stands at her desk looking over a list of students who were absent today. It's a Monday, and it's longer than usual.

RAMIREZ: Out of town, out of town, sick, tardy, sick per mom, sick per mom.

TURNER: Ramirez then looks to see who among these kids is now chronically absent. T

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