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“Before” vs. “prior to”: What’s the difference?

If you’re someone who writes or creates content, there’s a dilemma you’ve probably faced: whether to use “before” vs. “prior to” in a particular sentence. For example, which one could you use here: “We considered all the evidence _____ making a decision”? Would you choose “before” or would you place your bets on “prior to”? You may be confident that you know which one fits. But do you really know the right answer?

“Before” vs. “prior to”: Which word could you use?

We’ve got good news for you: no matter which word you chose, you’re right. You can use either “before” or “prior to” in the sentence:

• “We considered all the evidence before making a decision.”
• “We considered all the evidence prior to making a decision.”

Why can you use either word? Because “before” vs. “prior to” mean the same thing. In fact, if you look up both words in major dictionaries (e.g., the Merriam-Webster Dictionary , Oxford Dictionaries , and the Collins Dictionary ), you’ll find that the definition of “prior to” is “before.” That’s why you could use either “before” or “prior to” in all these sentences:

• “Before attending law school, Janessa worked as a teacher.”
• “Prior to attending law school, Janessa worked as a teacher.”
• “They needed to finish the layout for the magazine before leaving for the day.”
• “They needed to finish the layout for the magazine prior to leaving for the day.”
• “You must let the chocolate cool before moving on to the next step.”
• “You must let the chocolate cool prior to moving on to the next step.”

“Before” vs. “prior to”: Which word should you use?

Now, just because you can use either “before” or “prior to” in any sentence doesn’t mean you should. It’s true that “before” vs. “prior to” are both grammatically correct choices for a sentence. But that doesn’t mean that they’re equally good choices.

If you read our posts on a regular basis, you’ll know that we like to keep things simple . That is, we always suggest using the simplest words that you can use in a sentence. Simple words make sentences easier to read and understand, and your number one job as a writer is to make your reader’s job as easy as possible. That’s why we believe “before” is always a better choice than “prior to.”

We know what some of you are thinking: “‘prior to’ is a better fit for a project proposal or report because it sounds more formal.” After all, you’re probably used to seeing corporate and legal documents that are peppered with this term. In reality, though, “prior to” is just a Latin-based synonym of “before” that sounds unnecessarily formal. In fact, the Merriam-Webster dictionary notes that some people even see “prior to” as pompous. And you don’t want to seem pompous, do you?

Remember that smart people are impressed by how clearly and simply you can explain something, not by how complex your writing is. That’s why we suggest resisting the temptation to use “prior to” and going with “before” no matter what. After all, there’s really no situation where you would need to use “prior to” instead of “before.”

“Before” vs. “prior to” may feel like different words that are appropriate for different types of sentences. But the reality is that they mean the same thing. That’s why no matter what you’re trying to say, you can simplify and strengthen your writing by using “before” instead of “prior to.”

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Want more tips on how to produce clear and concise content? Read our post on how to shorten long words and sentences .

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Prior vs. Previous – What’s the Difference?

Home » Prior vs. Previous – What’s the Difference?

When two words are synonyms, how do you choose which one to use?

Very rarely are two words completely interchangeable, but in those circumstances, your best bet is to consider the overall fluidity of your sentence. In some cases, one word might seem more natural than the other in context, while its counterpart might stick out.

Is there a real difference between the words prior and previous ? Continue reading to find out.

What is the Difference Between Prior and Previous?

In this post, I will compare prior vs. previous . I will use each of these words in several example sentences, to give you an idea of how they should appear in context.

Plus, I will show you a helpful memory trick that you can use as a reminder of whether to use prior or previous.

When to Use Previous

Previous comes from the Latin word praevius , and its English form was first recorded in 1621.

Here are some more examples of previous in sentences:

• The quarterback did not rush for significant yardage with his previous team, but has carried the ball much more frequently in the new offense.
• Many television shows, especially long-running, story-heavy dramas like HBO’s Game of Thrones and AMC’s Breaking Bad, open with a montage reminding viewers of the events of previous episodes.
• Hanging over everything was Russia’s disastrous sixth-place finish in the medal count at the previous Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, British Columbia. – The New York Times

Previously is the related adverb , and it is sometimes a synonym of before , meaning at an earlier time .  

When to Use Prior

• Moreover, the “unilateral” actions the president proposed last night are much narrower and less problematic than many of his prior actions, such as his broad immigration non-enforcement or his selective rewriting and delaying of the Affordable Care Act. – The Washington Post

According to most sources, prior and previous are interchangeable. Indeed, one could substitute prior for previous in the example sentences above without changing their meanings.

Prior , though, doesn’t have a related adverb. Some writers use the construction prior to as a synonym for before , but most language authorities scoff at its use. As Bryan Garner (2016) notes, you wouldn’t use posterior to instead of after , so you probably shouldn’t use prior to instead of before , either.

Prior also comes from Latin, where it is related to the same root as previous . Merriam Webster actually records its first use in 1607, a few years earlier than previous .

Trick to Remember the Difference: Previous vs. Prior  

Previous is used a little more frequently, though, at least since 1800. If one of your goals is to make your writing as accessible as possible to a majority of readers, previous might be a better bet since it is more common.

Since previous and frequently both contain the letter E , you can easily remember that previous shows up more frequently that prior in published English.  

In reality, though, you should probably just choose whichever word fits best in the context of your sentence.

Is it previous or prior? Prior and previous are two interchangeable adjectives that mean earlier .

Previous is slightly more common, but either word will work in any context.

Patient visits can be more effective if much of the information gathering is done ahead of time.

CHRISTINE A. SINSKY, MD, FACP, THOMAS A. SINSKY, MD, FACP, AND ELLIE RAJCEVICH

Fam Pract Manag. 2015;22(6):30-38

Author disclosures: Christine Sinsky is an adviser for Healthfinch, a company that develops prescribing software. No other relevant financial affiliations disclosed.

When you walk in to see your next patient, is all of the necessary information assembled, organized, and ready? Or do you spend the first five to 10 minutes of each appointment determining who the patient is, why he or she is here, which performance measures are due, and what care the patient may have received from another provider, the emergency department, or an urgent care center since his or her last visit?

In our own practice, if the first time we think about a patient is when he or she checks in, we are already behind. 1 – 3 There is a lot to be done at each appointment. Consider that the average family medicine patient age 65 or older presents with four problems per visit and, in our experience, one or more care gaps needing to be addressed. 4 This is more work than a physician can typically handle alone yet is too important to leave to chance.

Pre-visit planning can help make your patient visits run more smoothly, giving you time to focus on what matters most to the patient and even a little time to spare to simply visit with the patient. Furthermore, you may be able to head home an hour earlier, feeling satisfied with the day and a job well-done, knowing that your patients and staff feel the same.

IN THE AUTHORS' OWN WORDS

Dr. Thomas Sinsky and Debra Althaus, RN, discuss some of the benefits that pre-visit planning provides for their practice.

Pre-visit planning

The objective of pre-visit planning is to help the patient and physician conduct the face-to-face visit more effectively by gathering and organizing information ahead of time so they can devote more attention during the visit to interpreting, discussing, and responding to that information.

Pre-visit planning takes place in several steps:

1. Plan forward, or “The next appointment starts today.” 5 The most efficient form of pre-visit planning begins near the end of the previous visit. As the visit draws to a close, the physician and patient decide on next steps, such as planning any lab tests that might be needed before the follow-up appointment. The physician is already familiar with the patient's conditions and medications, so it should take very little time to identify the appropriate tests for the next visit. The patient then may schedule these appointments immediately instead of having to remember to call back in several months to set them up.

In our practice, we use a checklist to help us plan for the next visit. The checklist is part of a form that also includes the date of the patient's last annual exam as well as any upcoming appointments and labs that are already scheduled. This format allows the physician to put today's care and the next visit's care within the context of the patient's ongoing care. The checklist features lab and other test options in three sections: those to be done before the patient leaves today; those due before the next follow-up visit; and those due before the next annual visit. The patient is then given the option at check-out of receiving an automated reminder phone call, text message, or letter closer to the time of the appointment. (The "Post-appointment order sheet" is available in the FPM Toolbox ).

In an effort to be more patient-centered, we've also found that asking the patient when he or she would like to return is an effective way to share decision-making and give patients an active role in their own care. We also believe this approach, combined with the reminder system and pre-visit labs, have helped lower our no-show rate, which is less than 4 percent.

2. Look back . Some practices do not begin pre-visit planning at the end of the current visit. Instead, it starts a week or so before the next visit when a nurse or other staff member looks back over a patient's record and orders any tests indicated by protocol based on the patient's conditions or medications, as well as any instructions the physician left in his or her documentation from the previous visit. Practices that rely on physicians to enter future orders into the electronic health record (EHR) on the day of the visit will sometimes also employ this “look back” process by the clinical staff. Physicians may feel they cannot spare extra minutes at the end of the visit inputting orders when other patients are waiting, so the look-back process ensures the work has been done.

Reviewing the patient's record outside of the office visit requires more time than planning forward, but it is still more efficient than not doing any pre-visit planning.

3. Pre-visit lab testing . Pre-visit lab testing saves time, improves patient engagement in health management, and reduces the amount of work needed to report and respond to results. Some practices arrange for patients to come in several days before the appointment for lab testing. Others arrange for patients to have their blood drawn 15 minutes to an hour before their scheduled appointment and then use point-of-care testing or rapid turnaround of standard lab testing. In both cases, the goal is to time the tests so that the results are available to the patient and physician at the face-to-face visit.

By having the results available during the appointment, patients can be part of the ensuing decision-making and are more likely to adhere to the treatment recommendations than if they received those recommendations later by phone or letter. In addition, the physician and patient can avoid playing phone tag or engaging in several rounds of email after the visit to resolve unanswered questions. One practice found that pre-visit labs saved $25 in overhead per patient visit. 6

Pre-visit labs can also aid safety. Because patients are able to review their test results together with their physician at the appointment, it is less likely that an important result will be overlooked or lost in the system.

4. Pre-visit phone call . Calling the patient ahead of his or her visit can help the clinical team prepare more thoroughly by clarifying the patient's agenda, anticipating any special needs, and completing many of the tasks usually performed during rooming, such as reviewing medications or screening for depression or falling. Some practices reserve pre-visit phone calls for complex patients. A pharmacist or pharmacy technician may also call these patients for in-depth medication reconciliation. In some cases, this process is aided by access to an all-payer claims database, which staff can use to see what medications the patient has actually filled. You can identify and address nonadherence to medication in a non-judgmental way with this approach.

5. Visit preparation . On the day of or the day before a visit, the medical assistant or nurse can do a quick review of the patient's record to see what needs the patient may have during the appointment. For example, they can identify if the patient needs an immunization, a cancer screening, or other prevention measures and close these “care gaps” during the rooming process. Conducting visit prep can be an effective tool in panel management and can positively affect the health of the entire patient population.

6. Pre-visit questionnaire . A pre-visit questionnaire is a list of questions the patient completes either on paper in the waiting room or through an online patient portal from home. See the questionnaire our practice uses .

PRE-VISIT QUESTIONNAIRE

Questions explore the reason for the visit (“What are you hoping to accomplish today?” and “Is there anything else you'd like to work on to improve your health?”), which prevents the situation in which a patient's main goal is revealed just as the physician is about to leave the exam room. Standardized questions applicable to the particular practice, such as screening questions for falls, depression, or domestic abuse, can also be asked. The questionnaire can also be used to update the patient's past, family, and social histories, as well as to conduct a complete review of systems. All of these uses can save the staff, physician, and patient time during the actual visit.

In our own practice, we have a separate pre-visit questionnaire for the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit that mirrors the template in our EHR, which makes it easier for the nurses to upload the information. Some EHRs are designed so that the patients' answers to the pre-visit questionnaire can be imported into the visit note, reducing the amount of data entry required of physicians and clinical staff.

7. Mini-huddle . The nurse or medical assistant often learns important medical and social information during his or her interaction with the patient during rooming. We have found that a brief “mini-huddle” with the physician before the physician meets with the patient can be helpful. The nurse can alert the physician to the patient's concerns (“She is afraid she will lose all strength in her arm”), a change in social situation (“His wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and he is worried”), or a teachable moment (“Her sister just developed diabetes, so she is willing to work more on diet and exercise to prevent this from happening to her”).

Although we have not found many studies measuring the overall financial savings of pre-visit planning, our personal experience is that pre-visit planning definitely reduces the time spent on a patient's care during or after the visit. A rough estimate is that pre-visit planning takes about an hour of nursing time per day and saves about an hour of physician time and up to two hours of nursing time. It also increases the quality of care by identifying agenda items and care needed at the appointment, such as immunizations or cancer screening.

We have received mostly supportive feedback from our patients regarding pre-visit planning. When they leave an appointment, we reserve a time for their next appointment, which they can plan around. We plan ahead to make that next visit meaningful to them. They don't have to wait after the appointment for lab results or instructions based on those results, and they can speak with their physician about those management decisions.

Finding the right strategy for you

Pre-visit planning can take many forms, and practices can choose the ones that make sense for them. Each component adds efficiency and supports a rapid understanding of why the patient is visiting and what his or her comprehensive needs are. An organized system to manage this complexity and volume will allow physicians to relax and truly listen to patients, knowing that the standardized, predictable work of the practice happens correctly by default and resting assured that they have minimized the chance of overlooking an important piece of data.

You can read more about pre-visit planning, pre-visit labs, huddles, pre-appointment questionnaires, and building a culture of team-work at the American Medical Association's practice transformation website .

Sinsky CA, Sinsky TA, Althaus D, Tranel J, Thiltgen M. Practice profile. ‘Core teams’: nurse-physician partnerships provide patient-centered care at an Iowa practice. Health Aff (Millwood) . 2010;29(5):966-968.

Sinsky CA. Improving office practice: working smarter, not harder. Fam Pract Manag . 2006;13(10):28-34.

Kravitz RL. Improvement happens: an interview with Christine Sinsky, MD. J Gen Intern Med . 2010;25(5):474-477.

Beasley JW, Hankey TH, Erickson R, et al. How many problems do family physicians manage at each encounter? A WReN study. Ann Fam Med . 2004;2(5):405-410.

Phrase coined by ThedaCare Health System, a community health system based in Appleton, Wis.

Crocker JB, Lee-Lewandrowski E, Lewandrowski N, Baron J, Gregory K, Lewandrowski K. Implementation of point-of-care testing in an ambulatory practice of an academic medical center. Am J Clin Pathol . 2014;142(5):640-646.

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Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP.  See permissions  for copyright questions and/or permission requests.

Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

Example sentences previous visit

In fact, my only previous visit was in 2010 under my own name and passport.

He won on his only previous visit here.

Whatever, this was as uneventful as their previous visit was astounding.

To my surprise my taste buds realised it was not the same as on my previous visit , 20 years earlier.

On a previous visit we saw its donut-maker break down.

Definition of 'previous' previous

Definition of 'visit' visit

COBUILD Collocations previous visit

Browse alphabetically previous visit.

• previous to
• previous tournament
• previous version
• previous visit
• previous week
• previous winner
• previous year
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Definition of visit

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of visit  (Entry 2 of 2)

• call (on or upon)
• drop in (on)

Examples of visit in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'visit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English, from Anglo-French visiter , from Latin visitare , frequentative of visere to go to see, frequentative of vidēre to see

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3d

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing visit

• conjugal visit
• visit on / upon
• pay a visit to
• pay (someone) a visit

Dictionary Entries Near visit

vision quest

Cite this Entry

“Visit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visit. Accessed 9 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of visit.

Kids Definition of visit  (Entry 2 of 2)

Middle English visiten "to go to a person especially to give comfort," from early French visiter (same meaning), derived from Latin visere "to go to see," from vidēre "to see" — related to vision

Medical Definition

Medical definition of visit.

Medical Definition of visit  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on visit

Nglish: Translation of visit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of visit for Arabic Speakers

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• WEATHER ALERT Flood Warning Full Story
• solar eclipse

Indiana state of emergency declared for eclipse, hundreds of thousands expected to visit on April 8

INDIANAPOLIS (WLS) -- Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has declared a state of emergency ahead of the April 8 solar eclipse in anticipation of massive crowds coming to see the celestial phenomenon.

The last time Indiana saw a total solar eclipse was in 1869, and the next total solar eclipse visible in the state is not expected to happen until 2099. As a result, Holcomb wrote , "it is anticipated the State of Indiana will see a significant influx of several hundred thousand visitors to witness, what will be for nearly all, a once-in-a-lifetime event."

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Holcomb's order says he expects there to be "widespread and significant impact" on the state's critical infrastructure, including transportation, communication and emergency response services. As a result, the governor issued his declaration to be able to call upon other states that are also members of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC, in case they have a sudden need for additional resources or other help during the eclipse.

The emergency declaration remains in place until 11:59 p.m. on April 9, the day after the eclipse.

READ MORE: Over 60 Illinois schools to close so students can witness eclipse

The total solar eclipse's path of totality - where the moon completely blocks the face of the sun - stretches across portions of 13 US states as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.

For some, plans for where to fly, drive and stay to hopefully catch a glimpse of the last total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2044 have been in place for months or even years. For others, the concept that this event is not to be missed might just be starting to dawn. People in both camps are scrambling - factoring in escalating costs and weather concerns - to make last-minute decisions about where to try to see the eclipse.

The latest weather forecasts threaten to throw a wrench in people's plans, with cloud cover across much of the path of totality. Experts recommend staying mobile and flexible with your plans.

The CNN Wire contributed to this report.

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​Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere

The pandemic changed families’ lives and the culture of education: “Our relationship with school became optional.”

By Sarah Mervosh and Francesca Paris

Sarah Mervosh reports on K-12 education, and Francesca Paris is a data reporter.

In Anchorage, affluent families set off on ski trips and other lengthy vacations, with the assumption that their children can keep up with schoolwork online.

In a working-class pocket of Michigan, school administrators have tried almost everything, including pajama day, to boost student attendance.

And across the country, students with heightened anxiety are opting to stay home rather than face the classroom.

In the four years since the pandemic closed schools, U.S. education has struggled to recover on a number of fronts, from learning loss , to enrollment , to student behavior .

But perhaps no issue has been as stubborn and pervasive as a sharp increase in student absenteeism, a problem that cuts across demographics and has continued long after schools reopened.

Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute . Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.

Source: Upshot analysis of data from Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute. Districts are grouped into highest, middle and lowest third.

The increases have occurred in districts big and small, and across income and race. For districts in wealthier areas, chronic absenteeism rates have about doubled, to 19 percent in the 2022-23 school year from 10 percent before the pandemic, a New York Times analysis of the data found.

Poor communities, which started with elevated rates of student absenteeism, are facing an even bigger crisis: Around 32 percent of students in the poorest districts were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year, up from 19 percent before the pandemic.

Even districts that reopened quickly during the pandemic, in fall 2020, have seen vast increases.

“The problem got worse for everybody in the same proportional way,” said Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who collected and studied the data.

Victoria, Texas reopened schools in August 2020, earlier than many other districts. Even so, student absenteeism in the district has doubled.

Kaylee Greenlee for The New York Times

The trends suggest that something fundamental has shifted in American childhood and the culture of school, in ways that may be long lasting. What was once a deeply ingrained habit — wake up, catch the bus, report to class — is now something far more tenuous.

“Our relationship with school became optional,” said Katie Rosanbalm, a psychologist and associate research professor with the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.

The habit of daily attendance — and many families’ trust — was severed when schools shuttered in spring 2020. Even after schools reopened, things hardly snapped back to normal. Districts offered remote options, required Covid-19 quarantines and relaxed policies around attendance and grading .

Source: Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute . Includes districts with at least 1,500 students in 2019. Numbers are rounded. U.S. average is estimated.

Today, student absenteeism is a leading factor hindering the nation’s recovery from pandemic learning losses , educational experts say. Students can’t learn if they aren’t in school. And a rotating cast of absent classmates can negatively affect the achievement of even students who do show up, because teachers must slow down and adjust their approach to keep everyone on track.

“If we don’t address the absenteeism, then all is naught,” said Adam Clark, the superintendent of Mt. Diablo Unified, a socioeconomically and racially diverse district of 29,000 students in Northern California, where he said absenteeism has “exploded” to about 25 percent of students. That’s up from 12 percent before the pandemic.

U.S. students, overall, are not caught up from their pandemic losses. Absenteeism is one key reason.

Why Students Are Missing School

Schools everywhere are scrambling to improve attendance, but the new calculus among families is complex and multifaceted.

At South Anchorage High School in Anchorage, where students are largely white and middle-to-upper income, some families now go on ski trips during the school year, or take advantage of off-peak travel deals to vacation for two weeks in Hawaii, said Sara Miller, a counselor at the school.

For a smaller number of students at the school who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, the reasons are different, and more intractable. They often have to stay home to care for younger siblings, Ms. Miller said. On days they miss the bus, their parents are busy working or do not have a car to take them to school.

And because teachers are still expected to post class work online, often nothing more than a skeleton version of an assignment, families incorrectly think students are keeping up, Ms. Miller said.

Sara Miller, a counselor at South Anchorage High School for 20 years, now sees more absences from students across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Ash Adams for The New York Times

Across the country, students are staying home when sick , not only with Covid-19, but also with more routine colds and viruses.

And more students are struggling with their mental health, one reason for increased absenteeism in Mason, Ohio, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati, said Tracey Carson, a district spokeswoman. Because many parents can work remotely, their children can also stay home.

For Ashley Cooper, 31, of San Marcos, Texas, the pandemic fractured her trust in an education system that she said left her daughter to learn online, with little support, and then expected her to perform on grade level upon her return. Her daughter, who fell behind in math, has struggled with anxiety ever since, she said.

“There have been days where she’s been absolutely in tears — ‘Can’t do it. Mom, I don’t want to go,’” said Ms. Cooper, who has worked with the nonprofit Communities in Schools to improve her children’s school attendance. But she added, “as a mom, I feel like it’s OK to have a mental health day, to say, ‘I hear you and I listen. You are important.’”

Experts say missing school is both a symptom of pandemic-related challenges, and also a cause. Students who are behind academically may not want to attend, but being absent sets them further back. Anxious students may avoid school, but hiding out can fuel their anxiety.

And schools have also seen a rise in discipline problems since the pandemic, an issue intertwined with absenteeism.

Dr. Rosanbalm, the Duke psychologist, said both absenteeism and behavioral outbursts are examples of the human stress response, now playing out en masse in schools: fight (verbal or physical aggression) or flight (absenteeism).

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” said Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas.

Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas, first put his focus on student behavior, which he described as a “fire in the kitchen” after schools reopened in August 2020.

The district, which serves a mostly low-income and Hispanic student body of around 13,000, found success with a one-on-one coaching program that teaches coping strategies to the most disruptive students. In some cases, students went from having 20 classroom outbursts per year to fewer than five, Dr. Shepherd said.

But chronic absenteeism is yet to be conquered. About 30 percent of students are chronically absent this year, roughly double the rate before the pandemic.

Dr. Shepherd, who originally hoped student absenteeism would improve naturally with time, has begun to think that it is, in fact, at the root of many issues.

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” he said. “If they are not forming relationships, we should expect there will be behavior and discipline issues. If they are not here, they will not be academically learning and they will struggle. If they struggle with their coursework, you can expect violent behaviors.”

Teacher absences have also increased since the pandemic, and student absences mean less certainty about which friends and classmates will be there. That can lead to more absenteeism, said Michael A. Gottfried, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. His research has found that when 10 percent of a student’s classmates are absent on a given day, that student is more likely to be absent the following day.

Absent classmates can have a negative impact on the achievement and attendance of even the students who do show up.

Is This the New Normal?

In many ways, the challenge facing schools is one felt more broadly in American society: Have the cultural shifts from the pandemic become permanent?

In the work force, U.S. employees are still working from home at a rate that has remained largely unchanged since late 2022 . Companies have managed to “put the genie back in the bottle” to some extent by requiring a return to office a few days a week, said Nicholas Bloom, an economist at Stanford University who studies remote work. But hybrid office culture, he said, appears here to stay.

Some wonder whether it is time for schools to be more pragmatic.

Lakisha Young, the chief executive of the Oakland REACH, a parent advocacy group that works with low-income families in California, suggested a rigorous online option that students could use in emergencies, such as when a student misses the bus or has to care for a family member. “The goal should be, how do I ensure this kid is educated?” she said.

Relationships with adults at school and other classmates are crucial for attendance.

In the corporate world, companies have found some success appealing to a sense of social responsibility, where colleagues rely on each other to show up on the agreed-upon days.

A similar dynamic may be at play in schools, where experts say strong relationships are critical for attendance.

There is a sense of: “If I don’t show up, would people even miss the fact that I’m not there?” said Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, the commissioner of education in Connecticut.

In her state, a home visit program has yielded positive results , in part by working with families to address the specific reasons a student is missing school, but also by establishing a relationship with a caring adult. Other efforts — such as sending text messages or postcards to parents informing them of the number of accumulated absences — can also be effective.

Regina Murff has worked to re-establish the daily habit of school attendance for her sons, who are 6 and 12.

Sylvia Jarrus for The New York Times

In Ypsilanti, Mich., outside of Ann Arbor, a home visit helped Regina Murff, 44, feel less alone when she was struggling to get her children to school each morning.

After working at a nursing home during the pandemic, and later losing her sister to Covid-19, she said, there were days she found it difficult to get out of bed. Ms. Murff was also more willing to keep her children home when they were sick, for fear of accidentally spreading the virus.

But after a visit from her school district, and starting therapy herself, she has settled into a new routine. She helps her sons, 6 and 12, set out their outfits at night and she wakes up at 6 a.m. to ensure they get on the bus. If they are sick, she said, she knows to call the absence into school. “I’ve done a huge turnaround in my life,” she said.

But bringing about meaningful change for large numbers of students remains slow, difficult work .

Nationally, about 26 percent of students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic.

The Ypsilanti school district has tried a bit of everything, said the superintendent, Alena Zachery-Ross. In addition to door knocks, officials are looking for ways to make school more appealing for the district’s 3,800 students, including more than 80 percent who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They held themed dress-up days — ’70s day, pajama day — and gave away warm clothes after noticing a dip in attendance during winter months.

“We wondered, is it because you don’t have a coat, you don’t have boots?” said Dr. Zachery-Ross.

Still, absenteeism overall remains higher than it was before the pandemic. “We haven’t seen an answer,” she said.

Data provided by Nat Malkus, with the American Enterprise Institute. The data was originally published on the Return to Learn tracker and used for the report “ Long COVID for Public Schools: Chronic Absenteeism Before and After the Pandemic .”

The analysis for each year includes all districts with available data for that year, weighted by district size. Data are sourced from states, where available, and the U.S. Department of Education and NCES Common Core of Data.

For the 2018-19 school year, data was available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For 2022-23, it was available for 40 states and D.C., due to delays in state reporting.

Closure length status is based on the most in-person learning option available. Poverty is measured using the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. School size and minority population estimates are from NCES CCD.

How absenteeism is measured can vary state by state, which means comparisons across state lines may not be reliable.

An earlier version of this article misnamed a research center at Duke University. It is the Center for Child and Family Policy, not the Center of Child and Family Policy.

Morning Rundown: Special counsel says history 'refutes' Trump argument, lawyer kills ex-daughter-in-law in deposition, and the most stunning images from the eclipse

Solar eclipse 2024: Photos from the path of totality and elsewhere in the U.S.

Images show the Great American Eclipse, seen by tens of millions of people in parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states and eastern Canada for the first time since 2017.

Millions gathered across North America on Monday to bask in the glory of the Great American Eclipse — the moment when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. 

The path of totality measures more than 100 miles wide and will first be visible on Mexico’s Pacific coast before moving northeast through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and upward toward New York, New Hampshire and Maine, then on to Canada.

Total solar eclipse 2024 highlights: Live coverage, videos and more

During the cosmic spectacle, the moon’s movements will temporarily block the sun’s light, creating minutes of darkness, and will make the sun's outer atmosphere, or the corona, visible as a glowing halo.

Here are moments of the celestial activities across the country:

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Elise Wrabetz is a Senior Photo Editor for NBC News and MSNBC.

Chelsea Stahl is the art director for NBC News Digital

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Prior to something.

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• in advance of Call in advance of your visit to see if you'll need a parking reservation.
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• by Make sure you're back by midnight.

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What the solar eclipse in Aries on April 8 means for your zodiac sign

An eclipse is coming to North America — but you probably knew that already.

Live updates: Following along for our total solar eclipse live blog

The 2024 total solar eclipse, dubbed the Great American Eclipse, will be visible across much of the United States. But it will be felt , astrologically, across the world.

Total solar eclipses occur when the moon fully blocks the sun's light. During the minutes this occurs, called totality, the sky darkens and the temperature drops. Eclipse comes from the Greek word that means “abandonment” because the sun briefly abandons us.

How can I see the total solar eclipse on April 8?

According to NASA , the eclipse will cross from Mexico into the United States, ultimately arriving in Canada.

A partial eclipse will be visible in 48 contiguous states. A total eclipse, in which the moon fully blocks the sun, will be visible in about 15, barring weather.

In the U.S., the eclipse path starts at Texas and goes through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Areas of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, per NASA.

The eclipse will also be live streamed and available to watch for free on sites like Space.com, Time and Date and NASA .

What are the astrological effects of the total solar eclipse on April 8?

This solar eclipse offers the chance to heal from the past. Think of a solar eclipse as a very potent new moon. In astrology, new moons represent new beginnings — but only if you do the energetic work to move on without ties to the past.

The upcoming solar eclipse falls in the sign of Aries. It occurs on the lunar nodes of destiny — the astrological name for the elliptical path the moon travels — which are currently in Aries and Libra. The lunar eclipse March 25 was in Libra .

Astrologically, Mercury in retrograde and the constellation Chiron, known as the cosmos’ healer, will connect with the eclipse degree, bringing closure to the past. It will be a time of goodbyes and hellos. Embrace this magical journey..

How the solar eclipse will affect your sign

Eclipses are thought to affect all signs. Here's how it may impact yours.

The eclipse is going to be eye-opening, giving a new window to the past. You’ll be able to see the role you played in certain situations, which may push you to make amends with others.

By confronting your fears and delving into your subconscious, you can gain a deeper understanding of yourself. You will come to realize that many of your fears are created in your mind, and are not based in reality.

You’re undergoing a personal metamorphosis, bringing in relationships with those who share your values and goals. There might be some changeups in your social circle as you gravitate toward these new relationships.

You might think you have everything figured out. But actually, you’re sitting on so much untapped potential. Pitch something new to the people in your life or your work, and show them there are still surprises left in you.

If you’re itching for an adventure and eager to break free from your mundane routines and responsibilities, try embarking on a low-key trip to an unfamiliar place. The key to having an enjoyable and authentic experience is not the destination itself, but the company you keep.

Virgo, try your hardest to avoid overanalyzing. Take time to think about what you really want before committing to a choice at the moment. Keeping your options open can help you navigate the situation with more ease and confidence, without second-guessing your decisions.

Instead of immediately dropping whatever is bothering you, think about how you can change the situation. What are you contributing to a dynamic? How can you alter your behavior to benefit the world around you? Do some reflecting.

If you are facing persistent issues with your co-workers, it might be time to consider a new approach to communicating with them. Consider bringing in a third party to mediate the situation. This can help to resolve the issue with minimal drama, allowing for a peaceful conversation.

Sagittarius 

To fully enrich your eclipse encounter, consider channeling your creativity into an artistic endeavor. Whether it’s capturing the eclipse through photography or painting, or expressing your emotions through writing, share your unique perspective of the world with the world.

Lately you prefer spending time at home to running around town. Nesting and connecting with your dwelling can be a rewarding experience. In fact, you might even consider hosting a dinner party with a few friends to enjoy good times in the privacy of your own home.

You've been pouring the best of you into other people. While it’s admirable to be so giving, remember to take care of yourself as well. Take a break, rather than constantly running around trying to please everyone else.

Shift your focus from lack to what you do have. Try to cultivate a sense of peace with the present. Ironically, feeling good about where you are right here, right now, could attract a brighter life.

Lisa Stardust is a New York City-based astrologer. Stardust is the resident astrologer for Oprah Magazine, Teen Vogue and The Hoodwitch. She has two upcoming books: “Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating this cosmic rite of passage” is due out this May from Hardie Grant Books and “The Cosmic Deck” from Chronicle Books is due out in November. Follow Lisa on Instagram for her daily horoscopes @lisastardustastro.

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Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens have hosted a slew of players before…

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Baltimore ravens | key bridge collapse updates: moore, members of congress to discuss rebuild; east baltimore church memorializes victims, baltimore ravens, subscriber only, baltimore ravens | the ravens have hosted a slew of players before the nfl draft. a closer look provides some insight., baltimore has nine picks in this month’s nfl draft.

The NFL draft is a little more than two weeks away and the Ravens, like every team around the NFL, have been busy.

Specifically, organizations are allowed to host up to 30 players for in-person visits at their facility ahead of the draft, which will take place April 25-27 in Detroit. These meetings last longer and are more formal than those at the scouting combine or at college all-star games. And they can be telling — Baltimore hosted Zay Flowers on a visit last year before drafting him 22nd overall — or perhaps simply subterfuge.

Often, though, they do provide at least some insight into what teams are thinking when it comes to players or positions they are targeting, something general manager Eric DeCosta is expected to address during the team’s annual predraft news conference Tuesday in Owings Mills. With the Ravens owning nine picks in this year’s draft, it could also be a fruitful haul.

Here is a look at the players who have been confirmed to have or reportedly visited with Baltimore thus far:

Troy Fautanu, Washington, offensive tackle

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks the quick-footed 6-foot-4, 317-pound Joe Moore Award winner given to the nation’s top offensive lineman as the 12th best player on his board, so it’s possible that Fautanu would still be around when the Ravens draft at No. 30. He is an enticing prospect and has starting experience at tackle and guard, positions Baltimore has openings for after losing both starting guards in free agency and trading right tackle Morgan Moses.

Chop Robinson, Penn State, edge rusher

A Maryland native who starred at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, the 6-3, 254-pound edge rusher is fast (4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and twitchy but had relatively modest outputs for the Nittany Lions. In three seasons, including one at Maryland in 2021, Robinson had 60 career tackles, including 20 for loss, and 11 1/2 sacks. His best season with Penn State was in 2022 when he had 10 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Xavier Worthy, Texas, wide receiver

The Ravens need to bolster their wide receiver corps with the group thin behind Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor, and Worthy is a burner, having tied John Ross’ 40-yard dash record with a time of 4.21 seconds at the scouting combine. Though slight at 165 pounds, Worthy had career-highs in catches (75) and receiving yards (1,014) last season and could be an option for Baltimore with the 62nd pick. Worthy also becomes intriguing if the Ravens decline to pick up the fifth-year option on Bateman, a decision they must make by May 2.

Malachi Corley, Kentucky, wide receiver

At 5-11 and 215 pounds, Corley has drawn comparison to the San Francisco 49ers’ do-everything star Deebo Samuel from NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein. At Western Kentucky, he played mostly in the slot and in motion, had good explosiveness and yards-after-the-catch skills, though his route-running isn’t viewed as top tier. Still, he put up impressive numbers with 259 catches for 3,303 yards and 29 touchdowns over 49 career games and could be an interesting fit in the Ravens’ redesigned offense, especially with new kickoff rules and kick returner-wide receiver Devin Duvernay having departed in free agency. He currently projects as a mid-to-late second-round pick.

Qwan’Tez Stiggers, Canadian Football League, cornerback

Stiggers’ story is the stuff of heartbreak and Hollywood: His father died after a car accident and Stiggers walked away from Division II Lane College in 2020 before ever playing, started driving for DoorDash and washing trucks, eventually landed with the semipro, seven-on-seven Fan Controlled Football League the following year, then with the Toronto Argonauts, where he had 53 tackles and five interceptions in 16 games en route to being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award. Twenty-nine NFL teams sent representatives to his pro day last month and the 5-11, 204-pound corner didn’t disappoint with a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash, 36.5-inch vertical and broad jump of 10 feet, 8 inches.

Rasheen Ali, Marshall, running back

The Ravens have their lead back after signing Derrick Henry, but they could use some depth at the position with only Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell — who’s coming off a torn ACL and likely won’t be ready to play until late in the year — behind him. Enter the 5-11, 206-pound Ali, who could be this year’s version of Mitchell as an undrafted free agent who is a shifty runner. Ali was the Football Bowl Subdivision leader in touchdowns with 25 as a redshirt freshman in 2021, rushing for 1,401 yards on 250 carries, but took time away from the Thundering Heard the following season before bouncing back with 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns on 212 carries last year.

Theo Johnson, Penn State, tight end

The one position the Ravens mostly don’t need to worry about is tight end, with Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar their top three tight ends (though they could use an in-line blocker). But they will have to start thinking about Andrews’ future soon as he enters his age 29 season this year. At 6-6 and 259 pounds, Johnson looks the part. In four years at Penn State, he had 77 catches, including 32 last season, for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns in 44 games. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller also believes Johnson’s stock is on the rise as a Day 2 pick and possibly the third tight end drafted. “There’s such an appetite for that wide tight end, that big, nasty, in-line tight end who does a great job in the middle of the field,” Miller said. “No, you’re not flexing them out and asking them to play wide receiver, but they’re super-reliable players.”

Travis Glover, Georgia State, offensive tackle

A five-year starter with 4,164 career snaps, experience at both tackle positions and five sacks and 24 pressures the past two years, the 6-6, 317-pound Glover could be an intriguing late-round option for the Ravens. He ranked 29th among all tackles in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades, had his best season as a run blocker last year, per PFF, and a strong showing at the Hula Bowl landed him a late invite to the Senior Bowl.

Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa, defensive tackle

The Ravens enjoy finding talent from small schools and Boyd would be another example. Projected to be a late-round pick, the 6-4, 317-pound 24-year-old is a project but could be something of a sleeper, giving depth behind Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones. His 38 reps on bench press during his pro day would’ve ranked second at the scouting combine, and his stock has been on the rise since a strong performance at the Shrine Bowl.

Delmar Glaze, Maryland, offensive tackle

With three starting spots needed to be filled on the offensive line, the Ravens will likely draft multiple linemen as part of their rebuild up front. Maryland isn’t known for producing top-tier linemen, but Glaze’s physical attributes make him a potentially interesting Day 3 option as a swing tackle, given he has a nearly 7-foot wingspan and is 6-4 and 327 pounds.

Trey Taylor, Air Force, safety

The cousin of former Ravens safety and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed, Taylor won last season’s Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football’s top defensive back. A first-team All-Mountain West selection, Taylor had 71 tackles, three interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown, and four passes defensed last season. A 6-foot, 210-pound three-year starter for the Falcons, he had six career interceptions, projects as a sixth- or seventh-round pick and could give Baltimore some needed depth after the free agent departure of Geno Stone.

Round 1: Thursday, April 25, 8 p.m.

Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26, 7 p.m.

Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27, noon

TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network

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