LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan’s school districts are trying to return to normalcy after two years of pandemic-altered schedules. However, some Michigan students have failed to follow their lead.

The Michigan Department of Education says school attendance has dropped to under 89%, down from 93% in the 2019-20 school year.

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The rates for chronically absent students, who are students  missing at least  one-tenth of the possible days in a school year, almost doubled to 38-percent.

Detroit Public Schools saw attendance rates improve to nearly 90% compared to 85% in 2019-20.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer shut down the state, including schools, for three weeks in March 2020 to flatten the coronavirus curve. That shutdown for schools continued until June 2020.

In November 2020, Whitmer shut down schools for another three-week pause.  Many did not open until the new year.