There are 44,847 students experiencing homelessness in Washington's public schools. More than half of them — 22,916, at a rate of 51.1% — are chronically absent. That means they miss 18 or more school days per year, roughly a month of instruction, on top of every other instability that defines their lives.

The chronic absence rate for students who are currently homeless is the highest of any subgroup the state tracks. Higher than foster care youth (41.3%). Higher than students with disabilities (34.3%). Higher than low-income students (35.4%). And it has barely moved in three years.

A plateau at the worst possible level

Before the pandemic, chronic absenteeism among students who are currently homeless was already severe: 40.7% in 2018-19, more than 2.5 times the overall state rate of 15.1%. COVID pushed it to 59.7% — meaning nearly three in five students who are currently homeless were chronically absent at the peak.

The recovery since then has been slow and appears to have stalled. The rate dropped to 54.3% in 2022-23, 51.5% in 2023-24, and 51.1% in 2024-25. That last improvement — four-tenths of a point — is indistinguishable from statistical noise. Students who are currently homeless have recovered 8.6 of the 19.0 percentage points they lost, roughly 45% of the way back, but the trajectory has flattened.

The gap between students who are currently homeless and their housed peers has narrowed slightly since 2019 (from 25.6 points to 24.0 points), but only because the overall state rate rose so sharply. The absolute rate for students who are currently homeless — above 50% — represents a level of attendance disruption that undermines any other educational intervention.

A growing population, not a shrinking one

The number of students experiencing homelessness in Washington has grown 24% since 2018-19, from 36,121 to 44,847. The increase accelerated after the pandemic, as housing costs across the Puget Sound region and beyond priced more families out of stable housing.

Washington's Homeless Student Stability Program, which provides housing assistance and school-based support for families experiencing homelessness, serves a fraction of the population. The combination of rising numbers and persistent high absence rates means that the absolute count of chronically absent students who are currently homeless — 22,916 — is at an all-time high, exceeding even the pandemic peak count of 21,623 in 2022-23.

Where it is worst

At the district level, chronic absenteeism among students who are currently homeless routinely exceeds 55% in urban and suburban systems. AuburnET reports a 72.4% chronic rate among its 431 students who are currently homeless — nearly three in four. Lakewood (63.6%), Bremerton (62.0%), and OlympiaET (62.0%) all exceed 60%.

The state's largest concentrations of students who are currently homeless are in TacomaET (2,287 students, 56.2% chronic), HighlineET (1,762, 56.7%), SpokaneET (1,817, 56.1%), and VancouverET (1,361, 59.3%). In these districts, more than half of the students who are currently homeless are missing a month or more of instruction.

The rare exceptions offer a clue about what might work. Quillayute ValleyET, which has the lowest overall chronic rate in the state, also posts just 4.0% among its 177 students who are currently homeless. South Bend reports 7.0% for 172 students who are currently homeless. Both are small, rural districts where the school is often the central institution in a child's life — and where the definition of "homeless" may skew toward doubled-up families rather than shelter-based homelessness.

The compounding crisis

The intersection of homelessness and chronic absenteeism creates a compounding educational crisis. A student who is both homeless and chronically absent is not just missing school. They are missing school while also dealing with housing instability, food insecurity, and the psychological toll of displacement. Research consistently shows that chronic absenteeism is the single strongest predictor of dropping out, and students who are currently homeless are already at elevated risk.

With 22,916 students who are currently homeless chronically absent in 2024-25, Washington faces a pipeline of educational disengagement that will manifest as lower graduation rates, reduced college enrollment, and diminished economic mobility for years to come. The attendance data is a leading indicator of outcomes that the state will measure — and regret — a decade from now.

Data source

Data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Homeless status follows the federal McKinney-Vento definition (students lacking fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence — including those doubled up with other families, in shelters, or in motels). Analysis covers school years 2014-15 through 2024-25.

Detailed code that reproduces the analysis and figures in this article is available exclusively to EdTribune subscribers.