DR. TREY CAVANAH Since the start of the pandemic, school districts in Missouri have seen a marked uptick in the number of students who are consistently absent from school. This increase in chronic absenteeism is a clear indication that, even after four years since the onset of the pandemic, the process of academic recovery continues to encounter significant obstacles. The decline in school attendance not only poses a barrier to student success and accomplishments but also undermines the efforts aimed at addressing the learning deficits resulting from the pandemic, including initiatives such as tutoring, student engagement in activities and additional instructional time. Chronic absenteeism can result from various underlying causes, including illness, housing insecurity, safety concerns, social anxiety and lack of engaging instruction. The numerous factors contributing to chronic absenteeism are not yet fully understood. However, one hypothesis gaining attention is that the…