#  Nearly a third of WS/FCS students were chronically absent last year. Officials say anxiety is a big factor 

 





In the 2022-23 school year, state data shows nearly 40% of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools students were chronically absent. That dropped the following year to about 32%, but that’s still higher than the state average.



 

September 24, 2025

 

 

 Amy Diaz 

*It’s been more than five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing schools to close, and teachers and families to pivot to virtual instruction. While those changes were temporary, the impacts have lingered.*

*Chronic absenteeism nearly doubled across the country in the year after the pandemic began. And while it’s fallen slightly, it’s still much higher than it was in 2019, posing major challenges to academic recovery.*

*In a new three-part series exploring chronic absenteeism in the region, WFDD’s Amy Diaz explores how schools are addressing the barriers that prevent students from coming to class, starting with a focus on mental health.*

**Slowed academic recovery**

Kids in North Carolina returned to class about a month ago for the start of a new school year.

Alongside test scores and graduation rates, officials will be closely monitoring another measure: chronic absenteeism.

Last year, about a quarter of students in North Carolina were considered chronically absent, meaning they missed 10% of the school year or more.

That’s more than 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels. And according to Harvard researcher Tom Kane, that’s a bigger problem than people might realize.

*Continue reading at* [*wunc.org*](https://www.wunc.org/2025-09-24/nearly-a-third-of-ws-fcs-students-were-chronically-absent-last-year-officials-say-anxiety-is-a-big-factor)



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Attendance ](/focus-areas/attendance)
- [ In the News ](/cepr-in-the-news)
- [ 2025 ](/year/2025)
- [ K12 ](/sector/k12)
 
 

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