The Connection Between Biking in School and Reduced Absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism—missing 10% or more of school days in a year (roughly 15+ days)—continues to pose one of the most pressing challenges for schools nationwide. Once seen as a fringe issue, it’s now at the center of conversations about equity, student achievement, and mental health.
The good news? Innovative programs like All Kids Bike with teaching bike riding in PE class are helping schools tackle absenteeism head-on.
Understanding the Absenteeism Crisis
The numbers are staggering:
- In 2020, about 8 million students were chronically absent in the U.S.
- By 2023, that number jumped to more than 14 million—over 1 in 4 students across the country.
- Around 10% of kindergartners and first graders nationwide are chronically absent
- Chronic absenteeism disproportionately affects students from low-income families and students of color.
The long-term impacts are serious:
- Lower academic achievement
- Higher dropout rates
- Social isolation and behavioral issues
- Decreased future earnings and opportunity
Solving this crisis requires more than just better attendance policies—it requires engaging, inclusive strategies that meet kids where they are.
All Kid Bike: A Simple Yet Powerful Solution
Programs like All Kids Bike are helping turn the tide. By teaching kids how to ride bikes in kindergarten PE class—complete with curriculum, balance-to-pedal bikes, helmets, and teacher training—they’re creating joyful, active learning environments that students want to attend.
Here’s how biking in school is helping reduce absenteeism:
1. Makes School More Engaging
Many students skip school because they feel bored, disconnected, or anxious. Introducing biking into PE gives them a tangible reason to look forward to class—especially in early grades when habits and attitudes about school are still forming.
Movement + fun = motivation to show up.
2. Supports Mental Health and Well-Being
Regular physical activity reduces anxiety, improves mood, and increases focus. According to the CDC, kids who are physically active are 40% more likely to report feeling happy, and less likely to experience symptoms of depression.
Feeling good at school makes students more likely to attend.
3. Builds Confidence and Belonging
Riding a bike is a milestone moment. It builds independence and self-esteem—especially for students who might struggle in traditional classroom settings.
When students experience success on the bike, it often translates into greater confidence in the classroom, better peer relationships, and improved behavior.
4. Helps Solve the Transportation Gap
In many communities, transportation is a major barrier to attendance. Teaching children to ride a bike equips them with a reliable, low-cost transportation option—especially in neighborhoods where walking isn’t safe or bus service is inconsistent.
A child with a bike has more freedom to get to school, not miss it.
5. Encourages Healthy Habits for Life
Biking helps establish active habits that support long-term physical health—which can reduce sick days and boost immune systems.
Students who are healthy and active are more likely to come to school ready to learn.
6. Tackles Chronic Absenteeism Head-On
All Kids Bike offers a low-barrier, high-impact intervention. They address physical, emotional, and logistical challenges that often keep students out of school.
By building excitement, confidence, and community, these programs can re-engage students who may otherwise drift away.
What Schools and Parents Can Do
For Schools:
- Start a biking program through All Kids Bike or a similar organization.
- Integrate biking into the existing PE curriculum.
- Monitor attendance data to track impact.
- Use biking as a behavior or attendance incentive.
For Parents:
- Advocate for biking in your child’s school.
- Encourage daily physical activity.
- Make biking part of your family routine.
- Support your child’s biking skills with a helmet and safe riding practice at home.
All Kids Bike: A Nationwide Movement
All Kids Bike is a national initiative led by the Strider Education Foundation, working to ensure that every child in America learns to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class.
Our ready-to-teach program includes:
- Teacher training & Certification
- Comprehensive Curriculum featuring 8 structured lessons
- 24 Strider Balance Bikes
- 24 Pedal Conversion Kits
- 24 Fully Adjustable Helmets
- Instructor Bike with Pedal Kit and Helmet
- 2 Custom-Designed Rolling Storage Racks
- Program Support
With programs in all 50 states and more than 1 million students reached, All Kids Bike is helping schools transform how kids move, learn, and grow.
Attendance Starts with Engagement
Reducing chronic absenteeism isn’t just about stricter policies—it’s about building a school culture that students want to be part of. When schools prioritize wellness, joy, and physical literacy through biking, students respond by showing up.
Pedal by pedal, we can reduce absenteeism and roll toward a brighter future.
Help Us Make It Happen
All Kids Bike is made possible through generous donations from individuals, businesses, and communities. You can:
- Donate to a school near you
- Sponsor a full program
- Start a conversation with your PTA or principal
- Spread the word on social media
Visit AllKidsBike.org to learn more or to get involved.