The Definition of Chronic School Absenteeism
Defining Chronic School Absenteeism
In Canada, chronic school absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the total school days in an academic year. Based on a standard ~180-day school year, this equates to roughly 18 to 19 days or more, or approximately two days per month.
The scope of the problem of school absenteeism is difficult to measure. School boards collect their own attendance data within varying regulations.
School attendance and engagement matters because education matters. Chronic absenteeism is a key early risk factor for suicide, education loss, peer and school support loss, as well as financial, employment, and life challenges.
School attendance challenges can be seen as the ‘canary in the coal mine’.) Research has also shown that attendance problems have dynamic, compounding relationships with mental health and academic achievement issues, which often begin in elementary years (Klan et al., 2024).
The Good News
The encouraging news is that, based on more than thirty years of experience working in this field, we know that effective solutions exist.
In the 1990s, a community-based initiative known as the "Stay-in-School" campaign demonstrated the power of collaborative action. Supported by government and corporate funding, the campaign brought guest speakers - including professional athletes - into schools, aired public service messages highlighting the importance of education, and connected students with community experiences that showed the real-world applications of what they were learning. These efforts helped make education more relevant, engaging, and meaningful for young people.
One of the key lessons from this work is that education succeeds when it is a shared responsibility. Effective responses to school attendance challenges require school-wide strategies that actively involve the entire school community - educators, families, students, and community partners.
Comprehensive approaches that incorporate multi-tiered systems of support provide the strongest framework for helping students succeed. These systems are data-informed and evidence-based, combining prevention strategies, early identification and intervention, and individualized, needs-based supports to ensure that all students can access and benefit from their education.
References
CBC News. (2026, January 12). School absences are increasing in B.C.’s biggest school districts. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/school-absences-increasing-b-c-9.7040465
CBC News. (2026, January 15). School absenteeism is growing across Canada and skyrocketing in some Quebec districts. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rate-of-school-absenteeism-skyrocketed-in-some-quebec-districts-9.7045969
CBC News. (2025, November 24). Students in southwestern Ontario are absent from school more often post-pandemic. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/more-kids-missing-school-post-pandemic-9.6987508
CBC News. (2026, March 3). Durham Region students are missing more school since the pandemic. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/durham-district-school-board-student-absenteeism-9.7111618
CBC News. (2025, December 4). 1 in 3 Edmonton public-school students chronically absent each year. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-schools-chronic-absenteeism-9.6997358
CBC News. (2026, March 12). ‘Shocking’ number of students chronically absent in Manitoba schools, documents show. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/students-chronically-absent-mla-9.7125742
CBC News. (2025, November 22). Why measuring school absences in Canada is so hard. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/school-absences-data-9.6988718
CBC News. (2025, November 22). Reported illnesses have tripled in some school districts as absenteeism rises. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/school-absences-illness-mental-health-9.6988661