The shocking revelation that one-quarter of Ohio’s students are chronically absent from school goes beyond typical truancy concerns, revealing a post-pandemic crisis that threatens an entire generation’s educational outcomes.

The Today in Ohio podcast crew wondered Monday whether old-fashioned truancy enforcement might help reverse the trend.

“I had no idea a quarter of Ohio kids are chronically absent,” Laura Johnston. “That means they miss at least 10% of class time a year, at least two days a month. That’s excused and unexcused absences as well as suspensions, they all count to that total.”

The impact of this absenteeism extends far beyond missed lessons. Johnston explained the research shows “kids who are chronically absent are three times less likely to be proficient in English

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