New Jersey can’t afford to lose another generation to absenteeism and shaky literacy foundations. As Staff Writer Mary Ann Koruth recently reported, high school math and reading scores are plummeting — a decline seen across all grades since the pandemic.
One key driver is chronic absenteeism. The pandemic nearly doubled the number of students missing significant time from school, and the problem persists: In the 2023-24 school year, 14.1% of New Jersey students were chronically absent, up from 10.6% in 201819, the last full year of in-person learning before the pandemic. Students can’t learn if they’re not in school, and punitive measures only push them further away. Respect, agency and real classroom connections keep kids engaged.
Beyond attendance, schools must also strengthen academic foundations early, especially in literacy. Too many teachers lack the resources to support struggling readers, and gaps left unaddressed in the early grades hinder progress across every subject. By high school, these deficits are far harder to close. New Jersey’s new Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery is an important step forward and a potential model for other states, but it must be matched with targeted, evidence-based teacher development support in every district.
The path forward requires support systems that meet students where they are, offering targeted, research-backed interventions. If we want test scores to rise, we need to start by ensuring kids show up, can read, and get the help they need to succeed. Anything less risks repeating this cycle of decline.
This letter appeared in the print edition of The Bergen Record. Access the online view here.
