Data-Driven Education Journalism for the Garden State
NJ charter districts average 16.7% chronic absenteeism vs. 12.8% for traditional districts, but half of all charters beat the state average.
Newark's chronic absenteeism dropped from 26.8% to 11.5%, falling below the state average while 87% of NJ districts remain above pre-COVID levels.
Black chronic absenteeism in Paterson hit 45.9% in 2023-24, still 10.7 points above pre-COVID levels and 4x the statewide white rate.
New Jersey's chronic absenteeism rate has improved since its 2022 peak, but just 12.9% of districts have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The gap is widest in urban districts.
NJ chronic absenteeism dropped from 18.1% to 14.9% since 2022, but 172 districts are worse than their pandemic peak and 47 keep getting worse every year.
COVID pushed NJ kindergarten chronic absenteeism past high school. Two years later, K is still 5.8 points above baseline while high school nearly back.
