School bus engines are rumbling, and parents are posting sentimental first-day photos, signaling the start of another academic year.

It’s back to class for thousands of children across the United States, with more start dates in the coming weeks. Inevitably, this time of year conjures hopeful feelings of fresh starts and endless opportunities. New teachers, new friends, new knowledge.

The fruits of the academic experience, however, rely on students actually being in school. And that’s the problem. More than 1 in 4 students were considered chronically absent during the 2021-22 school year, according to data compiled and analyzed by Thomas Dee, an education professor at Stanford University, in partnership with The Associated Press.

The analysis examined data from 40 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., giving a robust national portrait of chronic absenteeism, defined as students missing 10% or more of school days. Before the pandemic, in the 2018-19 academic year, about 15% of students missed that much school. But the rate grew to 28% during the 2021-22 school year. That’s 6.5 million more students, Dr. Dee says.

In two states that have released more recent data, the problem has persisted.

“What I found was that the state-level growth in chronic absenteeism was actually unrelated to a measure of COVID infection rates over this period,” Dr. Dee said during a media call earlier this week.

That means other factors are at play. Could students’ fragile mental health be causing them to miss school? Or have they simply lost the desire to attend classes?  

These are questions that educators, researchers, and – yes – even journalists will be exploring as a new school year unfolds. Most problems in the education realm don’t yield simple answers. Instead, nuanced reasons typically explain troubling trend lines. 

We’re here to help tell that story and look toward solutions. Please drop me a line if you know people – students, parents, school staff members, or others – who are taking steps to boost classroom attendance and, in turn, brighten the next generation’s future. My email is valleyj@csmonitor.com.