What Is Going On In Michigan and Detroit Schools with Absenteeism?
If a student does not show up for class it does not matter how much taxpayer money you throw at the schools they will not be educated.
We have spoken about the problem of “chronic absenteeism” in our Michigan schools when it comes to teachers and students in the past, and it does not appear to be getting any better. The Michigan Capitol Confidential news site is once again informing us of the problem of Detroit students being chronically absent from school.
According to state data 70.3% of students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District where chronically absent in the 2017-2018 school year. A student or teacher is deemed chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the year’s class days. There are 180 days in a Michigan school year that means that a chronically absent student enrolled for the full year is missing 18 days or more.
Of the approximately 54,600 students in enrolled in Detroit Public Schools 70.3% did not show up for at least 18 school days. That is approximately 38,400 students.
Michigan’s state average for students who are chronically absent is 19.9% for that same school year. I am ashamed to hear that our state average is almost 20%. What are all these parents doing, do they not care about their children’s education.
Chris Wigent, executive director of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators stated:
There are many, many reasons for a student’s absence at school: illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, lack of parent support in making school a priority, a perceived lack of relevance in what the student is learning, bullying, other family issues, just to name a few
What are we to do as citizens of Michigan if these students in many cases refuse to fully take advantage of the education we offer them?
This sounds to me like a problem that is more than likely fully the responsibility of the parents. You cannot blame teachers, the administration or money for this problem.
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