Understanding Teacher Absences: A Comparison with Non-Teaching Professionals

While it is commonly perceived that teachers take more absences than other professionals, few empirical studies have systematically examined the level and distributions of teacher absences in the US. Using the Monthly Current Population Survey between the 1995 and 2019 school years, I document temporal and geographical patterns in teacher absences and compare the level of teacher absence to that of non-teachers. The results show that teacher absence rates have decreased by 12 to 19% over the past twenty years. Moreover, teachers are less likely to be absent and miss a smaller proportion of working time than observationally similar non-teachers. This is because teachers take fewer absences for health, family, vacation, and personal days than non-teachers. The findings suggest that the existing absence control policy should focus more on providing supports to teachers.