Ohio Launches Chronic Absenteeism Tracker, But Major Districts Opt Out

The new dashboard aims to identify root causes, but participation is optional and many large districts are not contributing data.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:08pm

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print of a stylized school bus icon repeated in a grid, conceptually representing the transportation challenges that contribute to chronic student absenteeism.A pop art-inspired illustration highlights the transportation barriers that contribute to chronic student absenteeism in Ohio.Berea Today

Ohio has unveiled a new dashboard to publicly track local school districts' rates of chronic absenteeism, defined as students missing 10% of school or more. The goal is to help identify the root causes of the problem, which has persisted at high levels since the pandemic. However, participation in the dashboard is optional, and many of Ohio's largest school districts, including Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are not currently contributing data.

Why it matters

Chronic absenteeism is a major issue affecting student performance, with students with good attendance being three times more likely to be proficient readers and nearly four times more likely to be proficient in math. By making this data publicly available, the state hopes to spur districts to take action and address the root causes, which can range from transportation issues to family crises. But the lack of participation from key districts limits the dashboard's effectiveness in providing a comprehensive statewide picture.

The details

The new dashboard, located at Attendance.ohio.gov, is updated weekly and allows users to drill down into data at the individual school and grade level. Currently, 728 schools and districts are reporting information, but many of Ohio's largest districts, including Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are not participating. Last school year, Ohio's chronic absenteeism rate was 25.1%, barely down from the previous year's 25.6% rate. Experts say the root causes vary by community, ranging from lack of transportation and health issues to family crises and students having to work or skip class.

  • Ohio unveiled the new absenteeism dashboard on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
  • Last school year, Ohio's chronic absenteeism rate was 25.1%, down slightly from 25.6% the previous year.

The players

Mike DeWine

The Governor of Ohio, who announced the launch of the new absenteeism dashboard and emphasized the importance of addressing the issue.

Steve Dackin

The director of the Ohio Department of Education Workforce, who said the key is to identify trends in the data and intervene early when rates are not improving.

Chad Aldis

The vice president for Ohio policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education think tank, who said the dashboard will help districts identify if they are struggling more than others with chronic absenteeism.

Jeff Winsing

The president of the Ohio Education Association, who said the dashboard information will be helpful but that schools need additional funding to implement solutions to chronic absenteeism.

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What they’re saying

“Students with good attendance are three times more likely to be proficient readers, nearly four times more likely to be proficient in math, almost 12 times more likely to graduate on time.”

— Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio

“The key is to intervene right away when we see trends not going the right way.”

— Steve Dackin, Director, Ohio Department of Education Workforce

“This is going to help districts know if they are struggling more than other districts in getting their kids to school. It may even highlight the ones doing really well the lessons we can learn from them.”

— Chad Aldis, Vice President for Ohio Policy, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

“If you figure out a root cause or several root causes for why several students in your district are chronically absent but you don't have the money, it doesn't seem like the proper fix.”

— Jeff Winsing, President, Ohio Education Association

What’s next

The state will continue to encourage more school districts to participate in the new absenteeism dashboard, with the goal of having comprehensive statewide data to better identify and address the root causes of chronic absenteeism.

The takeaway

While the new Ohio absenteeism dashboard represents a positive step in tackling this persistent problem, its effectiveness is limited by the lack of participation from many of the state's largest school districts. Addressing chronic absenteeism will require a comprehensive, statewide effort with buy-in and data-sharing from all districts.