(The Center Square) – Fourteen states have joined an effort to cut chronic student absenteeism by 50% over the next five years. According to Attendance Works, a national and state initiative that pushes for better policy and practice to improve school attendance, chronic school absence rates almost doubled from one out six to almost one out of three students during the COVID-19 pandemic. And post-pandemic absenteeism rates remain higher than before the pandemic. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% of school for any reason, whether the absence is excused or unexcused, and is affecting…