More Than Missed School: What Can Primary Care Do About Chronic Absenteeism?

More than 1 in 4 Ohio students were chronically absent during the 2024–2025 school year — missing at least 10% of the school year for any reason. Chronic absenteeism is associated with challenges in learning, school engagement and long-term outcomes, making attendance an important issue for both educators and healthcare providers.

Join us for an important conversation about the role of primary care in addressing chronic absenteeism.

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

and the Role of the Primary Care Provider

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

12:15–1:00 PM ET

Virtual Webinar

1 CME Credit Available

Presenters:

• Sara Bode, MD, FAAP
• Chris Peltier, MD, FAAP

Why should primary care teams care about attendance?

Missed school can be a visible sign of underlying health, behavioral, social or family challenges. Children with disabilities and children experiencing poorer health are particularly likely to experience health-related chronic absenteeism. National CDC data found that 14.8% of children with disabilities experienced chronic absenteeism related to illness, injury or disability, compared with 4.4% of children without disabilities.

For pediatric practices, asking about attendance can provide another opportunity to identify concerns early, support families and connect them with appropriate resources.

During this webinar, you will:

• Understand chronic absenteeism — Explore how chronic absenteeism can affect children’s health, learning and long-term outcomes.
• Recognize the role of primary care — Learn practical strategies for identifying attendance concerns in the clinical setting.
• Support children and families — Discover ways primary care teams can help address barriers to attendance and connect families with resources.

This webinar is designed for the entire practice team. Physicians, nurses, front office staff and other team members are encouraged to attend.

REGISTER TODAY — SPACE IS LIMITED

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | 12:15–1:00 PM ET

Register for the Chronic Absenteeism Webinar Here.

An OAK Learning Network Initiative