across the country.

While some states# have seen modest gains, the situation## has grown significantly worse since the pandemic.

Nearly 30 percent of students were# chronically absent during the and 2022 school year.

That's according to the# most recent federal data.

And it's defined a missing at least 10 percent of school days.# It can have major consequences for student## achievement and much more, and many districts# are struggling with it, including Missouri.

Our communities correspondent, Gabrielle# Hays, joins us now from St. Louis.

Gabby, it's good to see you.

So give across the country, based on your reporting.

GABRIELLE HAYS: Yes, absolutely, Geoff.

Well, I think it's important to national data.

It's not much better, but# it hasn't gone back to what it was.

So,## the most recent numbers that we have# seen from our state report card point## to nearly a quarter of our students# across state of Missouri being absent.

Now, if we're comparing this year to last year,# as you have noted, what we're seeing nationwide,## we have seen very, very modest gains.

But, again,# the place of concern for our school administrators## and our experts is that those numbers have# not returned to what they were pre-pandemic.

And that is something that is especially of# concern, not just in Missouri, but nationwide,## so much so that we have seen the White House come# out on this, not just last year, but even today,## emphasizing the issue of chronic absenteeism# across the states and across the country.

GEOFF BENNETT: What did they say about# the impact that absenteeism is having?

GABRIELLE HAYS: Yes.

across the country, and they note just how big# this issue is of chronic absenteeism and what it## means for students across the country.

They really# honed in on the fact that, how can our nation's## students learn if they're not in the classroom,# and emphasize the need for some side of -- some## sort of road map to help states navigate# some accountability when it comes to that.

But we heard especially from domestic# policy adviser Neera Tanden on this.

NEERA TANDEN, White House Domestic# Policy Adviser: Absenteeism can## account for up t we have seen and 45 percent of the test# score declines in reading respectively.

We know that from the Council of Economic Advisers# and deep research they have done.

The truth is,## we simply cannot accept chronic# absenteeism as the new normal.

GABRIELLE HAYS: Now, I want to emphasize something# that I heard not just from school administrators,## not just from the state, and# not just from the White House,## but from researchers that# have emphasized this as ar e these long, far-reaching impacts of chronic# absenteeism and what that can mean to stud And they have linked this not only to# things like its effects on mental health,## but also the ability of a person# to earn a living long term.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, what are the barriers# keeping students out of the classroom then?

GABRIELLE HAYS: That's a really good question.

I think one thing that I - out to me and experts is that we're# talking about barriers that young## people faced even before the pandemic that# the pandemic maybe made Attendance Works, which is a national organization# that works at this issue, caused them root causes.## So we're talking about anything from child# abuse, to not having access to transportation,## to not having access to stable housing.

So, if you# add a global pandemic to all of these root causes,## it makes for a very rough scenario for a lot of# our young people who are not showing up to school.

Hedy Chang, the executive# director of Attendance Works,## spoke to me about this and of the importance# of understanding HEDY CHANG, Executive Director,# Attendance Works: A major challenge## in our work on -- around of ten, in this country, we think it's# because a kid and family doesn't care.

This is not about whether you care# or not.

This is about whether you## face barriers or challenges# and issues coming to school.

GABRIELLE HAYS: This is a big thing# that Chang stressed to me, in order to really take a look at this# issue, it ha The numbers are a good start, but# it has to go beyond the numbers## and misconceptions about why# young people aren't at school.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, how are schools handling# this?

And what do expe GABRIELLE HAYS: Yes, well, I think, on one hand,## school districts have told me they're# really just trying and learn as best they can why students# aren't showing up, so they can help them.

But Chang really emphasized to me that there# needs to be more data.

There needs to be more## investigation into what this looks like and why# it looks like it, so that, once we have all of## the numbers to know how far this goes, that# we can work together to solve it and really## attack this as a case-by-case basis, because every# student is different and every story is different.

GEOFF BENNETT: Our communities correspondent,# Gabrielle Hays, in St. Louis, thanks so much.