Fresno Unified Absenteeism Improves Slightly, Still Far Above Average

California School Dashboard data published on Nov. 19, 2025 showed 14,866 of Fresno Unified’s 50,568 K through 8 students were chronically absent in 2024 to 2025, defined as missing at least 10 percent of school days. That represents a 0.9 percentage point improvement from the prior year, but at 29.4 percent chronic absenteeism in K through 8 grades the district remains well above the statewide K through 8 average of 17.1 percent.

The dashboard also reported that Fresno Unified posted a 90.8 percent graduation rate in 2025, the highest the district has recorded since 2016. About half of 2025 graduates were rated prepared for college or career training, indicating progress on completion even as early grade attendance remains a serious challenge.

District leaders outlined a package of interventions aimed at reengaging students and families. The district is using EveryDay Labs technology to track attendance and trigger outreach to families. Site leaders receive monthly attendance training, and the district coordinates supports for students in foster care or experiencing homelessness. These steps are intended to identify absences quickly and connect vulnerable students with services that remove barriers to daily attendance.

Community advocates acknowledged the modest improvement, while emphasizing that sustained and long term strategies will be needed to return absenteeism to levels seen before the pandemic. Before 2019, Fresno Unified’s K through 8 chronic absenteeism rate was 15.8 percent. State leaders have set a goal to cut pandemic era chronic absenteeism in half by 2030, a target that will require persistent investment and cross sector cooperation.

The public health implications are significant. Chronic absence is linked to widening academic gaps, diminished mental health, and reduced lifetime earnings. For Fresno County families coping with housing instability, transportation challenges, work schedules, and unmet health needs, missing school often reflects deeper structural inequities. Addressing absenteeism therefore intersects with health care access, housing policy, and social services delivered at the local level.

For parents and community organizations in Fresno County, the data underscores the need for coordinated efforts that combine school based interventions with broader community supports. Continued investment in attendance tracking, family outreach, and services for unhoused and foster youth may help sustain the small gains reported this year, but reversing the pandemic era rise will require long term policy commitments that address the root causes of chronic absenteeism.