Rhode Island Chronic School Absenteeism Declines For 4th Straight Year

PROVIDENCE, RI — Chronic school absenteeism in Rhode Island declined for a fourth straight year, the state reported.

"Validated year-end data for School Year 2025-2026 indicate Rhode Island has experienced a 14.4-percentage-point decrease in chronic absenteeism since the height of the pandemic, resulting in the recovery of approximately 4.4 million instructional hours," according to a media release.

“Rhode Island has set a bold goal of ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive, and the data are clear: students must be in school consistently to succeed,” Gov. Dan McKee said in the release.

“The recovery of more than 4.4 million instructional hours since the height of the pandemic is a testament to that progress," McKee said. "While we have made significant gains, we must continue emphasizing the importance of showing up every day so that all students can benefit from the opportunities and learning experiences our schools provide.”

For the 2025-26, Providence had a chronic absenteeism rate of 25.3%, a 31.8 percentage point reduction from the 57.1% chronic absenteeism rate recorded during the height of the COVID pandemic in the 2021-22 school year, according to the release.

"This reduction since the height of the pandemic is the largest of any traditional local education agency in the state," the release said.

Central Falls had a chronic absenteeism rate of 22.2% in 2025-26, school year, a 26 percentage point reduction from the 48.2% chronic absenteeism rate recorded during School Year 2021-22, according to the release.

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