Chronic absenteeism is down in Memphis schools, but high schoolers still struggle to show up

By , Chalkbeat Tennessee Updated: February 26, 2026 4:00 AM CT | Published: February 26, 2026 4:00 AM CT
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Chalkbeat Tennessee

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

That means around 12,000 high schoolers would miss more than 10% or 18 school days in a year. That’s significantly higher than the statewide average.

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Chalkbeat Tennessee Memphis-Shelby County Schools chronic absenteeism
In partnership with
Chalkbeat Tennessee

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

Bri Hatch

Bri Hatch

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Hatch spent the past two years in Baltimore covering all-things education for WYPR, the city’s local NPR station, as a Report for America Corps Member.


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