Schools are struggling with student absenteeism post-pandemic. What can bring kids back to class?

Millions of American kids are missing school regularly and that number is growing. By some counts the rate of chronic absenteeism is as high as one in three. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10% of potential school time, roughly 18 days throughout the school year.

Kids have always skipped school, but the trend has exploded since the pandemic. Now some school districts are turning to a reimagined version of the truant officer to find out why kids stay home and how to get them back.

Here & Now's Scott Tong speaks with Alec MacGillis, who reported on this for ProPublica and the New Yorker.