Report: 1 in 10 New Jersey students chronically absent
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A new report finds that about 10 percent of New Jersey's students from kindergarten through 12th grade are chronically absent from school and risk falling behind in their educations.
The report released Wednesday by the group Advocates for Children of New Jersey studied state data on excused and unexcused absences among public school students for the 2013-14 school year.
About 125,000 students missed at least 18 days of school, or 10 percent of class days.
The group says that students who miss that much school are at risk of falling behind.
A range of reasons was given for absenteeism, from bad weather to fear of showing up to class with a dirty uniform.
Kindergarteners and high school seniors were the most likely to miss more than 18 days of school.