More Covid lockdown long-term collateral damage: Three years later COVID school lockdowns are continuing to have long-term negative spillover effects on children. Before the pandemic, only 15 percent of public school students were chronically absent – more than 18 or more days a year.

Today, Stanford University education professor Thomas Dee says his data shows an estimated 6.5 million additional students are now chronically absent.

Students who are chronically absent — are at higher risk of not learning to read and eventually dropping out.

The chart below shows that in some states, such as Connecticut and Massachusetts, chronic absenteeism remains double its pre-pandemic rate. It would appear that informing a generation of kids and parents that they don’t have to show up for school during COVID has taught them that being in the classroom isn’t important at all.

The long-term impact of school lockdowns will be with us for many, many years to come.