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“Immigration raids are leading parents to keep children home. In California’s Central Valley, enforcement action coincided with a 22% increase in daily absences, especially among young students, according to an analysis by Stanford University researcher Thomas Dee.
Others point to McMahon’s decision in December to cut off 18 grantees that were still expecting at least two years of federal funding, comprising roughly $60 million, for full-service community schools. The model targets high-poverty areas and uses schools as hubs for a variety of services, from mentoring and mental health support to food banks and housing assistance. Recent research shows the approach has been linked to declines in chronic absenteeism in California and New York City.
The Education Department is in negotiations with one of the grantees who sued over the loss of funds. But others wonder how they’ll keep the work going.
The Prichard Committee, a Kentucky nonprofit, was still expecting roughly $18 million to serve 40 districts when the department canceled the remainder of its grant. Schools that are part of the initiative have seen decreases in chronic absenteeism of at least 2%, higher than the rate of decline statewide. At Danville High School, southwest of Lexington, the rate fell from 45% in 2023-24 to 32% the next year.
At Reidland Elementary in McCracken County, the funds paid for family literacy events and backpacks to incoming kindergartners stocked with early reading and math materials.
The grant also supported a teacher who works one-on-one with kindergartners who are behind in reading and math. But now, the principal will have to find another way to pay for the position. Lisa McKinney, communications director at Prichard, said it’s hard for students to overcome gaps if they’re missing too much school.
‘We want everyone to read and write on grade level,” she said. “But you’ve got to get them there first.’”