Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and school leaders are using a creative approach to address chronic absenteeism in the school district ahead of Thursday’s first day of school for Boston Public Schools students.Officials joined representatives from the district’s Re-Engagement Center to knock doors on to encourage students with a history of chronic absenteeism to return to school.“As parents, we struggle to get our kids in school. She went for like a couple of days here and there, and then a couple of days she was shut down and then a couple of days she was claustrophobic, afraid to go outside,” one parent said about his 16-year-old daughter’s attendance.Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and School Superintendent Mary Skipper visited the family’s home as part of an outreach program for chronically absent city students and drop-outs.“We want tp see them back in school. We are excited. It’s a new school year,” Skipper said.A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 18 days of school.In the 2018-19 school year, 25 percent of Boston Public Schools students crossed that threshold. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number peaked at 42 percent. Last year, it dipped down to 37 percent.“Every student that is chronically absent is two to three times more likely to drop out depending on the age,” Skipper said. “The more that we can get our young people in school every day — that is what stops the drop out.”Families say the visits are raising teens’ spirits.“She smiled. Her spirit just opened up. I told her, ‘Look, you got the mayor coming out. You got people from the school looking at you,’” the parent said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and school leaders are using a creative approach to address chronic absenteeism in the school district ahead of Thursday’s first day of school for Boston Public Schools students.
Officials joined representatives from the district’s Re-Engagement Center to knock doors on to encourage students with a history of chronic absenteeism to return to school.
“As parents, we struggle to get our kids in school. She went for like a couple of days here and there, and then a couple of days she was shut down and then a couple of days she was claustrophobic, afraid to go outside,” one parent said about his 16-year-old daughter’s attendance.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and School Superintendent Mary Skipper visited the family’s home as part of an outreach program for chronically absent city students and drop-outs.
“We want tp see them back in school. We are excited. It’s a new school year,” Skipper said.
A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 18 days of school.
In the 2018-19 school year, 25 percent of Boston Public Schools students crossed that threshold.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number peaked at 42 percent. Last year, it dipped down to 37 percent.
“Every student that is chronically absent is two to three times more likely to drop out depending on the age,” Skipper said. “The more that we can get our young people in school every day — that is what stops the drop out.”
Families say the visits are raising teens’ spirits.
“She smiled. Her spirit just opened up. I told her, ‘Look, you got the mayor coming out. You got people from the school looking at you,’” the parent said.
