The morning bell rings, but plenty of seats in first-period classrooms remain empty. Inside, teachers begin their lessons, glancing at the empty desks — a quiet reminder of an issue that’s becoming harder to overlook.
A sharp increase in student tardiness and absenteeism, following a national trend, has raised concerns among Naperville Central administrators and teachers about student attendance and how to address the root causes impacting attendance.
“Pre-pandemic, students used to ‘tough it out’ and go to school, but I think that we just learned that we learn differently and that maybe we don’t have to be in class everyday,” said Principal Jackie Thornton.
According to the Illinois Report Card, the rate of chronically absent students at Central in the 2024 school year was 23.9% of the student body, a small step down from the 24.8% rate in the 2023 school year. These numbers are a dramatic step up from pre-pandemic levels, where they frequently hovered under 10%.
Under Illinois state law, a chronically absent student is a student who misses 10% of school days within an academic year with or without a valid excuse.
Nationally, 28% of high school students are considered to be chronically absent, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Some faculty members believe the issue stems from transportation challenges, while others may point to student disengagement or insufficient enforcement relating to attendance policies.
The trend has been attributed to multiple factors, including student burnout and a rise in illnesses. Some students struggle to make it to school on time due to transportation issues or a lack of motivation, while packed schedules and academic pressure could be other reasons for missing class.
“As both a teacher and a parent, I understand how crazy mornings can be,” said Nikole Epstein, a teacher at Central. “But when students are consistently late or absent, they’re not just falling behind academically—they’re missing out on that routine.”
Many students are called out on a single period basis, with most being in the early periods of the day. On Jan. 30, Central saw 325 students absent during first period, while the number dropped down to just 90 absences second period. By fifth period, the number was down to five.
Teachers have expressed frustration over the impact on classroom instruction, as frequent absences disrupt lesson plans and make it difficult for students to stay caught up with coursework. Some students who struggle with attendance cite personal challenges, while others mention difficulties with balancing academic and extracurricular commitments.
“It’s hard to keep the class on the same page when students are constantly missing,” Epstein said.
One of the biggest concerns is the effect these absences have on student learning. As many classes move at a faster pace, missing even a few days of instruction can leave students struggling to catch up. Additionally, in-person learning provides opportunities for students to develop “soft skills” such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking — experiences that can’t be replicated through independent work.
“We want to address the underlying causes of absenteeism rather than simply impose consequences,” said Kathy Howat, a dean. “By understanding what students are facing, we can better support them and help them find ways to stay engaged.”
Chronic absenteeism increases by grade level, with 11.6% of freshmen, 16.8% of sophomores, 26.1% of juniors, 40% of seniors affected in 2024. This sharp rise among upperclassmen suggests factors such as burnout, disengagement or off-campus privileges contributing to the uptick in absenteeism.
Illinois school code lists valid causes for absences as: illness, mental health concerns, celebration of a religious holiday, death in a family or family emergency. A change to the school code was implemented in 2022 that allowed mental health concerns as a valid reason for missing school, although after the second missed day of school, a student is connected with a staff member to provide support.
“When students struggle with anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges, it can make arriving on time much more difficult,” Howat said.
Transportation has also been a growing issue. With bus driver shortages and delays, some students find themselves arriving late despite their best efforts. Proposed changes in the school start time, to be implemented in the 2026-27 school year, are aimed at addressing some of these transportation-related challenges.
“We know transportation plays a big role in student punctuality, and we’re considering the new start times to help align with that,” Thornton said.
Finding a solution that balances clear rules with support for students will continue to be a difficult challenge that school level and national level educational professionals are looking to fix.
“I think it’s just important for everyone to know how seriously we take [truancies], and how much of our time is dedicated to studying it and working towards solutions,” Thornton said.
