The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is actively exploring strategies to reduce chronic student absenteeism, a persistent issue that has impacted the district’s academic reform efforts for years. Central to this discussion is the question of whether parents should be held more accountable for ensuring their children attend school. This ongoing conversation is expected to gain further prominence as 34 candidates are running for five seats on the school board in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, bringing new perspectives to the challenge.
High rates of student absenteeism have long affected Detroit schools. Research consistently shows that students who are frequently absent are more likely to struggle academically and, ultimately, to drop out, thereby impeding their learning and the district's overall educational goals. At the end of the 2025-26 school year, 60% of children in DPSCD were chronically absent. This figure, while a decrease from the 76.7% recorded during the pandemic in the 2021-22 school year, is still considered too high by district and city officials. In response, officials continue to seek options to improve attendance, including efforts to provide more transportation choices for students and to expand after-school programs.
The DPSCD board has engaged in extensive discussions on this issue, considering both measures of parental accountability and potential incentives aimed at fostering consistent school attendance. During a meeting held last October, board member Monique Bryant expressed her view, stating she didn't understand why officials were not "more firm with our parents" regarding their responsibility to ensure children attend school. In the same meeting, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti also emphasized that it was "time to enhance the accountability and engagement" with parents.
Michigan law already provides mechanisms to address poor student attendance, allowing for penalties to be imposed on parents for their children's frequent absences. Furthermore, state law permits the halting of public assistance for parents whose children are missing too much school. Despite these existing legal frameworks, researchers generally express reservations about the effectiveness of penalties and incentives directed at parents and students. Citing existing research, experts suggest that such measures often do not significantly improve attendance rates.
However, DPSCD has experienced some internal success with incentive-based programs. The district implemented a program that rewarded high school students for achieving perfect attendance during the period from January to March. Following its positive reception, plans are currently underway to expand this program to include middle school students during the current school year. This internal success with student-focused incentives offers a contrast to the broader research findings on parental incentives, suggesting that direct student engagement might hold particular promise within the district’s specific context.
With 31 candidates vying for four full four-year terms and an additional three candidates competing for a partial two-year term, the incoming school board members will inherit and likely influence the district's approach to chronic absenteeism. These candidates have been specifically asked to share their perspectives on whether parents should bear greater responsibility for their children's regular school attendance, underscoring the ongoing importance of this issue for the Detroit community and its educational future. The district's continued efforts to tackle chronic absenteeism are crucial for promoting academic improvement and ensuring that all Detroit students have the opportunity to succeed in their education. The strategies adopted by the new board will significantly influence the trajectory of student attendance and, by extension, the overall academic health of DPSCD.
