The Detroit Education Research Partnership has 2 new reports out today:

1) Why Do Detroit Students Miss School: Implications for Returning to School After COVID-19

2) Third Grade Reading and Attendance in Detroit

A on what we learned. https://education.wayne.edu/detroit-education-research-partnership

There's a narrative in Detroit that a big part of the reason that >50% of students are chronically absent is that there's something "unique" about parents' commitment to getting their kids to school here.

Let's put that myth to rest for good.

https://education.wayne.edu/detroit_ed_research/derp_why_do_detroit_students_miss_school_final.pdf

The dozens of Black & Hispanic families we interviewed cared deeply about their children's education, went to great lengths to get them to school, and understood the negative consequences of absenteeism. They expressed regret about difficult tradeoffs when their kids had to miss.

We've found in prior work that structural and environmental conditions for school attendance are more challenging in Detroit than in any other large city ( @jeremylsinger et al., in press at TCR).

https://education.wayne.edu/detroit_ed_research/uniquely_challenging_context_report.pdf

This new report crystallizes the unjust conditions that families face in accessing education, and clarifies that the most pervasive barriers are systemic.

TRANSPORTATION was the single most cited reason why students missed school.

It's no wonder.

In a city with close to 200 schools and total open enrollment, there is no comprehensive school transit system. In our prior work, we find that 50% of schools offer no transportation, & many students even in those schools are ineligible.

https://education.wayne.edu/detroit_ed_research/school_transportation_policies_report.pdf

HEALTH was also a major barrier for student attendance, with chronic physical illness and mental illness playing a role in chronic absenteeism. This was particularly true when healthcare was difficult to access or only available during school hours.

Transit and health concerns will only be exacerbated as kids head back to in-person learning, due to the economic and health impacts of the pandemic. Policymakers must develop concrete plans for ensuring that students can get to school safely, everyday.

We recommend:

1) $$$ for transit, health services, community schools

2) strengthening neighborhood schools and rethinking the wild west of open enrollment, since current system is deeply inequitable and only students who have the means can travel far to get to school

3) trade accountability policies for systems change & support policies

It's worth repeating: Detroit parents want their children in school. The fact that so many Detroit students are not in school is a problem not with families but with the SYSTEM that is supposed to serve them.

The consequences of not solving this problem are dire.

Our 2nd report out today shows how chronic absenteeism is a stronger predictor of 3rd grade reading achievement than demographics & greatly increases risk of retention under Third Grade Reading Law.

https://education.wayne.edu/detroit_ed_research/derp_third_grade_reading_and_attendance_final.pdf

In short: Too many students are missing too much school. This is likely to get worse after the pandemic without policy changes that address the systemic barriers to school attendance, first documented in our research in 2019, and now reinforced here with the voices of families.

Thanks to @skillmanfound & @BrightmoorAll for supporting this work financially, logistically, and collegially.

Thanks to our partners at Every School Day Counts Detroit, who were the first to say we need to go talk directly to families.

Thanks to our team, Walt Cook, @jeremylsinger, @KimberlyLStokes, Bear Mahowald, & Ben Pogodzinski. Our work is so much better for all of your brilliant minds and dedicated hearts.

Thanks to my dear friend and talented graphic designer @elizzmo for always making us look good.