More than one in four Michigan students still miss a lot of school. But the numbers are getting better. Fewer students are chronically absent, and this is the fourth year in a row that the rate has dropped.
The Michigan Department of Education shared new figures on Thursday, September 17, 2026. In the 2025-26 school year, 27.2% of K-12 students were chronically absent. That is down from 27.9% the year before, according to Chalkbeat. The drop was 0.7 percentage points. A student is chronically absent after missing 10% or more of a school year, Chalkbeat reported. In a typical 180-day calendar, that means 18 days or more.
The longer trend is bigger than the one-year change. Since the rate peaked at 38.5% in 2021-22, it has fallen 11.3 percentage points, according to WILX. Over the same years, the state's attendance rate rose from 88.8% to 91.5%, a gain of 2.7 points, WILX reported. This year it went up 0.2 points. The math fits together. 27.9 minus 27.2 is 0.7, and 38.5 minus 27.2 is 11.3.
Even with this progress, Michigan's rate has been among the highest in the nation, based on one report cited by Chalkbeat. The high numbers come while many students struggle in reading and math. In 2025, third grade reading scores hit a 12-year low, with just over 38% of students rated proficient, Chalkbeat reported.
State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said the results show hard work but are not enough. "Students benefit when they are in school and engaged in learning," he said. He credited local districts, students, families, community partners, and the department. "While this progress is encouraging, more work remains. We must continue working together to improve attendance and further reduce chronic absenteeism across our state."
In July, a state education department report listed some root causes of missing school, Chalkbeat reported. These included student boredom, money problems, and health issues. The report said schools can lower barriers by offering rides, gas cards, or ride-sharing networks. It also said schools should tell families why regular attendance matters.
Districts have tried their own ideas. In Detroit, high schoolers could earn up to $1,000 in Visa gift cards for perfect attendance in different one-week periods. Almost 84% got at least one $100 card, Chalkbeat Detroit reported. In Muskegon County, two nearby districts held a friendly contest with a trophy and a celebration for students who had fewer than five absences in seven months. In mid-Michigan, five intermediate school districts covering eight counties ran a campaign that urged students to miss fewer than five days, according to Chalkbeat.
Local leaders say they cannot raise attendance on their own, Chalkbeat reported. Michigan has not passed new attendance laws or rules in recent years, Chalkbeat reported.