Correction: An earlier draft incorrectly said Minneapolis was absent from the 2023-24 district file, used a false statewide baseline, overstated the Twin Cities gap, and cited unverified 2024-25 subgroup and program claims. This version uses the complete official state-package panel through 2023-24.

In 2021-22, 47.0% of Minneapolis^↗ET Public Schools students were chronically absent. The published count was 14,147 students out of enrollment of 30,115.

That was the peak in the four-year state panel. Minneapolis moved from 33.8% in 2020-21 to 47.0% in 2021-22, then fell to 34.8% in 2022-23 and 31.7% in 2023-24.

The 2023-24 result was 15.3 percentage points below the peak. It represented 9,219 chronically absent students among 29,063 enrolled students. Direct evidence: the rate and count improved for two consecutive reports after 2021-22. Unresourced: the state files do not establish why.

Minneapolis remained above Saint Paul and Minnesota

In 2023-24, Saint Paul^↗ET reported 8,029 chronically absent students among 32,145 enrolled students, a 25.0% rate. Minneapolis's 31.7% rate was 6.7 points higher.

Minnesota's published statewide rate was 21.4% in the same year. Minneapolis was 10.3 points above that benchmark. Those are comparisons of published counts with published all-students enrollment totals; they are not demographic or causal explanations.

Enrollment fell, then rose

Minneapolis enrollment declined from 32,722 in 2020-21 to 29,063 in 2023-24, a decrease of 3,659 students. The enrollment series then rose to 29,928 in 2024-25 and 30,079 in 2025-26. The state chronic-absence package ends in 2023-24, so the later enrollment figures do not establish a later attendance trend.

Minnesota defines chronic absence as missing at least 10% of school days. The state describes the inverse measure, consistent attendance, as attending more than 90% of school days.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education absence and enrollment data.

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