"If Kids Aren't Here, How Can They Learn?" Rural Districts Struggle with Attendance Rates That Hit Nearly 40% in Some Schools

*RURAL SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN* — A crisis unfolding in schools across rural Southwest Michigan has school leaders sounding an alarm that echoes far beyond the classroom: "If kids aren't here, how can they learn?"

In a region grappling with inadequate transportation, deep poverty, and homelessness, chronic absenteeism rates have climbed to staggering levels, with some schools reporting nearly 40% of students missing at least 10% of school days last year.

"That doesn't do any good," says Amy Cockburn, recently installed as principal at South Haven High School. "We can put a lot of blame on things, but that doesn't do any good. It's, stop making excuses and what are we going to do?"

The Numbers Don't Lie

According to the latest data, about 26% of Southwest Michigan students were reported chronically absent during the previous school year — missing at least 10% of school days. That figure is only marginally better than the state's average of 28%.

But the crisis is far more severe in certain pockets of the region, with absenteeism percentages ranging dramatically:

  • Berrien Springs Public Schools: 7% chronically absent
  • Bloomingdale Public Schools: 39.5% chronically absent
  • Bangor Public Schools: 41.8% chronically absent
  • Benton Harbor Area Schools: 68% chronically absent

Very rural districts report some of the highest rates in the state, according to the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative's coverage of the issue.

A Community in Crisis: Pullman Elementary

In the sprawling Bloomingdale Public Schools district, the challenges are stark and visible. Pullman Elementary School, located seven minutes north of the Van Buren/Allegan County line, sits in a region where trailer homes patched with plywood and plastic sheeting line local roads.

"In a region with scarce jobs and no public transportation, families without adequate income often double up in those cramped trailer homes, including some of the district's 87 students who were homeless last year," says Rick Reo, district superintendent since the fall of 2024.

The statistics are sobering: about 44% of Pullman Elementary's students were chronically absent in 2024-25.

Sickness accounts for some of those absences, exacerbated by a lack of easy access to medical care. But more often, kids simply miss the bus and no parent can drive them.

"Even the best-intentioned parents struggle to get their kids to school in such circumstances, Reo says.

School administrators have tried creative solutions: sending empty buses to pick up kids who missed the first one, though Reo acknowledges "that can get expensive." Gas cards for parents and a van sent to pick up unhoused students temporarily outside bussing boundaries don't help enough, either.

The Pandemic's Lingering Shadow

The region is still reeling from the pandemic-driven absenteeism surge. Prior to COVID-19, chronic absenteeism in Michigan hovered around 19.7%. Last school year, that number jumped to nearly 30% — a troubling increase that shows students have still not fully recovered.

"It's disappointing that we didn't see the progress for this past school year that we saw the year before," says Jeremy Singer, an assistant research professor at Wayne State University who studies student attendance.

The data reveals a stark divide: 40.1% of economically disadvantaged students are chronically absent compared to just 16.1% of non-economically disadvantaged students.

"Our students need to attend school regularly to maximize their school experiences," says Michigan Superintendent Michael Rice. "Despite our progress, far too many students are chronically absent. We need to work together to redouble our efforts and remove barriers to school attendance."

Mental Health and School Climate Complicate the Picture

New research from Michigan State University adds nuance to understanding why students miss school, finding that mental health and perceptions of school climate are deeply intertwined with attendance.

One study examined how COVID-19 shaped the trajectory of chronic absenteeism, particularly in urban schools. The findings revealed a reversal in trends:

  • Before the pandemic, schools with higher shares of students reporting mental health challenges had higher rates of chronic absence
  • After the pandemic, this trend reversed — with a higher share of students facing mental health challenges now linked to lower chronic absenteeism

The researchers suggest several possible explanations:

  • Schools may now be seen as a "protective space" where students can reconnect with friends and adults after so much distant learning
  • Attending school could be understood as a "help-seeking behavior" — students with mental health challenges coming to school to seek support

Another study found a meaningful relationship between school climate and chronic absenteeism. Key factors include:

  • Whether a student feels connected to school
  • Perceptions of safety
  • Peer support structures

"Adjustments to these factors suggests significant reductions in chronic absence rates for all students," the MSU researchers found.

What Actually Works

Absenteeism researcher Jeremy Singer, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan-Flint, says most schools have ramped up efforts in recent years, but many fail to implement strategies that actually work.

"Common, low-cost strategies like robocalls and letters home might move the needle a little bit, but they're not going to solve the whole problem," Singer says.

Higher-impact approaches require more resources than many schools have available:

  • Home visits
  • Transportation assistance
  • Making kids want to come to school — the most promising practice within schools' control

"You don't have to have a million new initiatives," Singer says. "He recommends a rational combination of strategies that develop relationships with families and focus on school climate and culture."

Effective strategies include:

  • Phone calls home
  • Helping parents make attendance plans
  • Communicating about the importance of good attendance to fight the problem before it happens

School Clubs and Sports as Engagement Tools

At South Haven High School, Principal Amy Cockburn emphasizes that extracurricular activities play a crucial role in student engagement.

"School clubs and sports engage students and make them want to show up for class, says Principal Cockburn.

This approach aligns with research showing that positive school climate and a sense of belonging are critical to reducing absenteeism.

The Big Picture

The chronic absenteeism crisis in rural Southwest Michigan cannot be solved by schools alone. Communities must pitch in by addressing the fundamental issues that impact students' ability to get to school:

  • Housing instability and homelessness
  • Transportation barriers
  • Access to healthcare
  • Economic opportunity

"Districts cannot solve attendance concerns alone, but his district tries to find solutions to students' family transportation or food insecurity concerns," says Stiles Simmons, superintendent of Westwood Community School District in Dearborn Heights.

As districts across rural Southwest Michigan battle to bring absent students back, the question remains whether they have the resources, community support, and innovative approaches needed to turn those troubling numbers around.

The stakes are high. With nearly one in three Michigan K-12 students missing 18+ days of school annually, the region faces an educational crisis that demands comprehensive community solutions.