Detroit Public Schools Respond to Chronic Absenteeism Challenge

News Summary

Detroit Public Schools Community District is tackling chronic absenteeism, worsened by the pandemic, with incentives like gift cards and bicycles to encourage attendance. Despite recent improvements, rates still lag behind state averages, prompting the need for innovative solutions and community support to ensure students attend school regularly and succeed academically.

Detroit is facing a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism in its public schools, defined as students missing at least 10% of school days, or 18 out of a typical 180-day academic year. The issue has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased efforts by the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to improve student attendance rates.

In a recent initiative, DPSCD awarded $200 gift cards to nearly 5,000 high school students who achieved perfect attendance over a two-week period. This is part of a broader strategy to incentivize students to attend school regularly. Additionally, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has proposed providing bicycles to students as a means to address transportation issues, which are a significant barrier to attendance.

A survey conducted among high school students who have faced chronic absenteeism indicated that access to bicycles could positively impact their ability to attend school regularly. Approximately one-third of residents in Detroit do not own cars, making reliable transportation a complicated issue for many families. While DPSCD offers some school bus services, high school students primarily rely on city bus passes, which are not always sufficient.

The average daily attendance rate in DPSCD has shown some improvement, rising from 80% in 2017 to 84% in the 2024-25 school year. In terms of chronic absenteeism, rates have decreased from 70% to 60% since the 2017-18 school year. However, these figures still trail behind state averages, as chronic absenteeism rates across Michigan increased from 20% to 30% between the 2017 and the 2023-24 school years.

Multiple factors contribute to chronic absenteeism, including unstable housing, unreliable transportation, health issues, and parents working nontraditional hours. Studies indicate a strong correlation between attendance and academic achievement, showing that students who miss school are likely to perform poorly and have lower graduation rates.

Traditional punitive measures for addressing absences, such as suspensions, have been found to be ineffective. These approaches can exacerbate the relationship between families and schools, making it even more challenging for students to return to regular attendance. Instead, community involvement and resources are deemed essential for understanding and addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism.

Research from other districts such as Volusia County in Florida and Carson City in Nevada has demonstrated the effectiveness of bicycles as an incentive for improving student attendance. These previous successful initiatives provide a framework for DPSCD to adapt as they seek to further combat chronic absenteeism.

Moreover, community discussions have highlighted the importance of conducting better surveys to comprehensively identify the unique reasons why students are missing school. By gaining insights into the multifaceted factors affecting attendance, schools can develop more effective strategies tailored to the specific needs of their students and families.

Through these innovative strategies and community partnerships, DPSCD aims to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve overall student outcomes. By prioritizing attendance and addressing the underlying issues, Detroit hopes to create a more conducive learning environment for its students, ultimately leading to better academic performance and graduation rates.

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Additional Resources

• The Conversation: More than 50% of Detroit Students Regularly Miss Class
• Wikipedia: Chronic Absenteeism
• BridgeDetroit: Detroit Schools and Bicycles for Chronic Absenteeism
• Google Search: Detroit chronic absenteeism
• Detroit Free Press: Michigan Public School Chronic Absenteeism Data
• Google Scholar: Chronic Absenteeism in Detroit
• Fox 2 Detroit: Detroit High School Students Be Paid for Perfect Attendance
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Attendance
• EdSurge: What Can We Do About Chronic Absenteeism? Ask Detroit
• Google News: Student Attendance Initiatives