I think even middle and upper class parents have come to view public school as, at best, a necessary ticket punch to move on to something useful. COVID shutdowns made it pretty clear.
I also suspect a lot of this “chronic absenteeism” actually involves non-existent students:
The data actually show if you don't master the 5th and 6th grade material you can't learn what's taught in the 7th grade and high school.
The school moved kids ahead even though they never learned the earlier grade. Many school are now graduating graduates that are illiterate and innumerate.