Detroit Evening Report: DPSCD proposes transferring frequently absent students to local schools to reduce chronic absenteeism

A new proposal from Detroit public school officials aims to stop chronic absenteeism in the district.

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Detroit Public Schools Community District students enrolled in schools outside of their neighborhood could be sent back to their local school if they miss too many school days.

The policy would give schools the option of seeking district approval to transfer the students to their closest location. But they could only do that after officials try to solve the absentee problem by communicating with the students and their families.

According to DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, the transfer would only occur for the following academic year and not during the current one. The district says that only about 55% of students attend their neighborhood school.

In the 2022-2023 academic year, the district’s chronic absenteeism rate was 68%, down from the 77% the previous year, but still above pre-pandemic levels. The proposal is just one of several steps DPSCD is implementing to reduce the chronic absenteeism.

The district defines chronic absenteeism as 18 days or 10% of the school year.

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