Teachers seem to be having a hard time making it into work.
Two things must happen for children to learn in public schools: They must attend their classes, and teachers must be there to educate them. Yet 43% of teachers at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) were “chronically absent” during the 2023-2024 school year, an issue recently highlighted by the Chicago Tribune. Of all the problems currently affecting education, this might be one of the most troubling. It’s bad enough that schools are having a difficult time hiring enough teachers, but now some can’t even get their staff to show up every day. Is this an isolated issue or a problem that stretches beyond the Windy City?
Education Takes a Backseat
“Chronic absenteeism” means a teacher has missed ten or more days in a school year, excluding vacations and paid…
