According to a recent Utah Women & Leadership Project report, education improves far more than academic knowledge. Higher levels of education are associated with longer lifespans, healthier lifestyles, greater life satisfaction, and stronger job opportunities and earnings. Education also increases civic and community engagement, strengthens social skills, raises ethical reasoning, improves problem-solving, and expands leadership capacity and independence. Parents with more education spend more time reading to their children, and students with more education contribute more meaningfully to their communities. The value of an educated society is immeasurable, both individually and collectively. 

Completing high school remains one of the strongest predictors of future success. Students who graduate are more likely to pursue additional education, earn higher wages, and build stronger families and communities. Conversely, research on absenteeism shows the steep cost of missed school days. According to ULEAD, children who are chronically absent are 13 times more likely to be chronically absent the following year and seven times more likely to drop out of school. The evidence is clear: education matters, and attendance matters. 

COVID disrupted many aspects of daily life, including school routines. Students were forced to stay home, families became more isolated, and social habits shifted. Even six years later, some of those patterns linger. In particular, school attendance suffered, and in some cases, it became treated as optional. Although schools have long returned to full operation, attendance rates have not fully recovered. The consequences of this shift will echo for years if not addressed. 

In 2025, the Utah State Board of Education launched the “Every Day Counts” campaign to confront chronic absenteeism. Nearly one in four Utah students were chronically absent in the 2023-2024 school year, meaning they missed 10 percent or more of school days. Chronic absenteeism affects students academically and socially, undermining reading and math foundations, weakening peer relationships, and increasing the likelihood of not graduating. 

Local residents recognize the seriousness of the issue. In the Utah Women & Leadership Project’s 2025 statewide survey, 89 percent of Utah County residents agreed that Utahns should be concerned about the percentage of children who are chronically absent from school. The strength of that agreement is even clearer when looking at the detailed response patterns. On the seven�’point scale used for the item “Utahns should be concerned about the percentage of children who are chronically absent from school,” Utah County’s statistical mean was 6.07, indicating broad and strong agreement across the county. 

Nearly half of respondents (47.9 percent) selected strongly agree, and another 30.1 percent selected agree. An additional 11.2 percent chose somewhat agree. In total, nearly nine in ten Utah County residents expressed concern, leaving only 10.9 percent who were uncertain or disagreed at any level. Notably, these patterns were closely tied to respondents’ own levels of educational attainment: individuals with higher education were significantly more likely to express strong concern about chronic absenteeism and its long-term consequences for children, families, and communities. 

The Utah Women & Leadership Project joins the Utah State Board of Education in encouraging consistent school attendance, from elementary school through high school and beyond. Anyone can become a Statewide Attendance Ambassador, formally or informally, by promoting the message that showing up for school matters.  

And it matters in very concrete ways. Children cannot learn to read, master foundational math, or build the critical thinking skills needed for future success if they are not in the classroom. Reading proficiency by third grade is one of the strongest predictors of high school graduation, and chronic absenteeism in the early grades sharply reduces the likelihood that students will reach that milestone. Attendance in middle and high school is even more consequential: students who attend regularly are far more likely to enroll in college or technical training, secure stable employment, and experience higher lifetime earnings. Regular attendance is also linked to better health outcomes, stronger social networks, and greater civic engagement later in life. 

In short, attendance is not just about showing up; it is about building a future. When children attend school consistently, they gain the academic, social, and emotional foundations that allow them to thrive as adults. When they miss school, those foundations weaken. As Utah continues to invest in strengthening families, expanding opportunity, and preparing the next generation, one truth remains clear: every day a child attends school strengthens their future and strengthens Utah’s future. 

Susan R. Madsen is a Professor of Organizational Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and the founding director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project.