Report: Tens of thousands of Illinois students didn’t attend school last fall

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The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Early estimates from state officials show tens of thousands of Illinois students didn’t attend school in 2020. 

When the school year began last fall, a survey from the Illinois State Board of Education found that 921,000 students would only be offered virtual learning in lieu of an open classroom due to widespread COVID-19 infections. 

ISBE recently revealed preliminary attendance figures that showed as of Oct.1 a startling number of students simply didn’t show up for class. 

 

The presentation from ISBE Chief Research and Evaluation Officer Brenda Dixon showed an estimated loss of 35,822 public school students. That’s the equivalent of nearly 2% of the prior year’s enrollment.