SAN DIEGO — San Diego Unified students are missing school at a dramatically growing rate. Many students are now considered chronically absent.
The district points to sickness, mental health, housing and food insecurities, lack of transportation and inflation as the causes. It says absenteeism and chronic absenteeism has made an uptick at schools across the United States since the pandemic.
"It's really not that surprising when you tell me that," said psychiatrist, Michael Lardon.
A chronically absent student is any child who has missed at least 10% of the school year. In 2019 before the pandemic, 12.4% of San Diego Unified students were chronically absent but that has jumped to 36.7% this school year, according to the California School Dashboard.
"I do hear parents casually tell me you know 'my kid isn't going to school as much' and I ask why because I don't think there's any reason for that," Lardon said.
He says some parents are keeping kids home for mental health days but the best thing to do is seek help from a professional or the school guidance counselor.
All these missed days can also impact funding from the state which is based on average daily attendance.
San Diego Unified said it's working to find solutions and ways to support families so that students can regularly attend school and thrive.
Last summer the district created 14 family services positions. Those employees are working with families and the schools to cut down on absenteeism. Learn more, here.
WATCH RELATED: Report card: San Diego Unified reading scores steady, math scores decline (Oct. 2022).