Timely ERO report highlights truancy crisis and government's response.
The Education Review Office (ERO) has released a timely report on chronic school absence, further emphasizing the need for urgent action to address New Zealand's growing truancy problem. According to Associate Education Minister David Seymour, the report shows that chronic absence has doubled since 2015.
As part of the government's response to this crisis, the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) system will be introduced nationwide. All schools will be required to have an attendance management plan based on STAR from the beginning of the 2026 school year. The Ministry of Education will work with schools and other agencies to streamline attendance services.
The ERO report highlights a lack of understanding about truancy, late interventions, and inadequate information sharing between agencies. To address these issues, the government is starting a nationwide conversation on truancy, setting frameworks for timely interventions from schools, and developing robust information-sharing agreements between agencies.
Minister Seymour has also directed the Ministry to take a more active role in prosecution cases and to review the effectiveness of its support for the Attendance Service. The government aims to address the truancy crisis through bold and urgent action, with targets set to improve attendance and social outcomes.