Showing Up in the Classroom Counts

This op-ed was originally posted on Nov. 5, 2025, in the Columbus Monthly. 

Every day a student misses school, they lose more than classroom time—they lose momentum, confidence and connection. 

Chronic absenteeism—defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year for any reason—affects 25 percent of Ohio students. Throughout the Columbus region, thousands of young people are at risk of falling behind. By sixth grade, chronic absence is one of the strongest predictors of dropping out. Even a few missed days each month make it harder for students to read on grade level, stay engaged in class or graduate. 

The stakes are high not only for individual children but also for our community’s future workforce, economy and well-being. 

Students miss school for many reasons: Poverty, housing or food insecurity, transportation challenges, inadequate clothing, health issues, trauma or family challenges including the need to care for younger siblings or work to support the family. Schools can’t solve these problems alone. 

Prior to receiving services from Communities In Schools of Ohio, a seventh grader missed 32 days of school and had a GPA of just 0.88. After intervention and daily support from his CIS site coordinator, his absences dropped to eight the next year, and his GPA rose to 3.0. His story shows what can happen when students get the right support at the right time. 

Across Ohio, communities are uniting to help students overcome obstacles and attend school ready to learn. Many districts are striving to maintain—or even expand—resources like counseling, social workers and graduation coaches despite shrinking budgets. Nonprofits are leaning in with mentorship, behavioral support, academic help, basic needs assistance and enrichment programs, even as they face their own funding challenges. 

Beyond schools and nonprofits, policymakers, businesses and volunteers must continue to show up and do what they can—advocate for supportive legislation, fund programs like after-school activities, resource closets and food access, or lend their time to coach teams or mentor youth. Together, we must rally behind the programs that help students thrive. 

The state of Ohio has set a bold goal: To cut chronic absenteeism in half by 2029. Reaching it will require schools, families, policymakers and communities to pull together. Here’s how you can help: Volunteer as a mentor or tutor, donate money or supplies, support after-school programs, advocate for policies that address housing and mental health and show up for young people. 

Every day matters. Together, we can break down barriers to attendance and open the doors to every student’s success. 

Adero Robinson is the CEO of Communities In Schools of Ohio, a nonprofit that served more than 24,000 students across 52 schools statewide in 2024.