Oklahoma Eases School Penalties for Chronic Student Absences

Oklahoma will remove chronic absenteeism as a factor in school accountability grades starting in 2027, following a legislative decision last year. The state’s 2024-25 school year included a humorous campaign to address student absences, but leaders cited rising absenteeism rates, with 29% of students missing 10% or more of the school year in 2022-23. Other states like Arkansas and Illinois have also modified their accountability systems to reduce reliance on chronic absenteeism metrics.