D.C. leaders say the city’s Truancy Reduction Pilot Program is working, leading to stronger family engagement and better attendance.
According to the , there was a 71% year鈥憃ver鈥憏ear drop in truancy among participating students.
鈥淲e are encouraged about the results because it tells us that we are onto something that works. And that’s going to impact the young people and the families that we do serve,鈥� said Rachel Pierre, director of the D.C. Department of Human Services.
A key part of the program鈥檚 success is case management. They work with families to understand specific needs and coordinate services. Forty-seven percent of parents accepted case management services, which is up from 42% in the first year of the program in 2024. Nearly half of students in case management improved their attendance and behavior within 90 days.
鈥淲e are able to really meet the family exactly at the point that this could escalate to something bigger,鈥� Pierre said. 鈥淚f there are barriers to school attendance on a regular basis, we are here to help.鈥�
Pierre said some examples of those barriers are a lack of childcare, not having the right uniform, bullying or simply parent awareness. She emphasized it鈥檚 critical to intervene early.
鈥淒.C. parents, it鈥檚 important that your kids are in school,鈥� Pierre said. 鈥淭he more school days young people miss, the more they fall behind, the harder it is for them to catch up.鈥�
There are plans to expand the Truancy Reduction Program for a third year. Ten schools currently participate, and they want to add eight more. Focusing on ninth and 10th graders would help kids stay on the right track throughout high school, Pierre said.
鈥淭he transition from middle school to high school is often when kids have a hard time adjusting. And for whatever reasons, they may be more truant,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are excited about the possibility of scaling into additional schools next fiscal year.鈥�
For more information about the program or to seek assistance from DHS, .
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