Chronic student absenteeism reached crisis levels in Rhode Island during the 2021-22 school year, as students began returning to the classroom after extended pandemic-related closures.
Over a third of students missed at least 10 percent of the school year. That meant over 46,000 students were disconnected from consistent learning, making them less likely to achieve math and reading proficiency and more likely to drop out.
In response, Governor Dan McKee and Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green elevated attendance as a public priority with the launch of the Attendance Matters RI campaign in 2023, and supported districts with innovative data tools and the sharing of best practices. Those efforts produced measurable results.
While many states have seen little improvement in recent years, Rhode Island reduced chronic absenteeism by 12 percentage points between the 2021–22 and 2024–25 school years — among the steepest declines nationally. Yet, despite this progress, 22 percent of Rhode Island students were still chronically absent last year, totaling nearly 30,000 children.
Rhode Island’s incomplete recovery from this crisis reveals two important truths about our education system. First, meaningful improvement is possible when the state applies focus. Second, without stronger statewide authority, some children will not benefit from that progress.
Some districts and charter schools in Rhode Island have staged dramatic turnarounds — in some cases reducing chronic absenteeism by more than 20 percentage points — while others have seen far more modest gains. In a recent analysis, we found that substantial gaps persist even after accounting for differences in student demographics.
For example, the chronic absenteeism rate in Central Falls was about 10 percentage points lower than predicted by its demographics, while Woonsocket’s was about 10 percentage points higher.
Chronic absenteeism is complex and may be influenced by factors beyond student demographics. However, at least part of the reason that success has been so uneven is the absence of a statewide requirement to implement best practices or dedicated state funding to support this priority.
The Rhode Island Department of Education in 2024 spearheaded the Attendance for Success Act, legislation which would have given the department clearer authority and required best practices and uniform data collection across districts, charters, and state schools. This legislation passed the House but stalled in the Senate. The bill was not reintroduced last year and there appears to be no plan to introduce the proposal this year. In September, RIDE issued guidance on promoting chronically absent students but decided against regulations to require these practices.
The state’s response to chronic absenteeism offers a sobering lesson for advancing reforms to improve our schools. If Rhode Island cannot require best practices in all public schools for an issue identified by state leaders as the highest priority, how can it meaningfully effectuate the kind of change necessary to raise student outcomes above their current unsatisfactory levels?
The Rhode Island Constitution vests ultimate authority over K-12 education in the General Assembly, yet the Assembly rarely acts to require uniform adoption of best practices. Much of that authority has been delegated to the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, but the Council’s statutory powers — and those of RIDE — are limited compared to other states. In practice, local school committees retain substantial control. And because Rhode Island does not guarantee a constitutional right to an equitable education, families have limited recourse when disparities persist.
Over the past 15 years, the state has become a far larger source of school funding, and since fiscal year 2012 has increased school spending at roughly three times the rate of local governments. Yet its authority has not evolved. The result is that some students are left behind simply because of where they live.
To help all students succeed, the state must assume greater, consistent authority over elementary and secondary education. With respect to chronic absenteeism, at minimum the state should require districts to adopt evidence-based practices. To improve student outcomes more broadly, policymakers must clarify responsibilities and strengthen accountability at the state level, with the state taking a more active role in overseeing district performance and spending.
Rhode Island has demonstrated that coordinated effort can move the needle. The next step is to ensure that every student, in every community, has the opportunity to benefit.
Michael DiBiase is president and CEO of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. Justine Oliva, PhD, is director of policy and research at the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.