A new report from NWEA ties chronic absenteeism to slower academic recovery in math and reading through 2024. Using achievement test results across roughly 2,000 districts from 2019 to 2024, the study finds districts with chronic absenteeism—defined as 20% or more of students missing at least 10% of days—make less progress returning to 2019 achievement levels. NWEA reported the effect is more pronounced in math: high absenteeism districts were about 50% further from recovery than those with low absenteeism. The report’s patterns were strongest in higher-poverty districts, where attendance appeared to matter more for post-pandemic gains. The analysis does not prove causation, but it aligns with other recent research cited from Stanford’s Educational Opportunity Project, which found each additional day of absences between 2022 and 2024 was associated with slower reading and math growth. For higher education leaders who recruit and support incoming students, the takeaway is that K-12 attendance disruptions remain visible in academic readiness and may intensify demand for remediation, tutoring, and early-alert student success interventions.