Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Human Services (DHS) have announced the expansion of the District’s Truancy Reduction Pilot Program to all DC Public Schools and public charter high schools in Wards 7 and 8 for the 2026-27 school year. This initiative builds upon two years of positive outcomes aimed at reducing truancy among students, particularly in areas with the highest rates of absenteeism.
The expansion is designed to provide increased access to early, personalized support for families and students, with the goal of keeping more youth engaged in their education. According to the Year 2 Final Report released by DHS, only 36% of students referred to the pilot program in its first year were truant again in the second year, indicating a 64% reduction in truancy rates among participants.
“Every day a student misses school is a day of opportunity lost,” said Mayor Bowser in a statement regarding the program. “This expansion means more families will have the support they need to make every day count.” The pilot program, which began in August 2024, replaces traditional referrals to the child welfare system with a suite of services focused on early intervention. Families receive assistance once a student accumulates 10 unexcused absences in middle school or 15 in high school.
The program, which initially involved 10 schools, will now include all public high schools in Wards 7 and 8, targeting 9th and 10th grade students while continuing support for 11th and 12th graders who still meet participation criteria. The Year 2 Final Report highlights several key findings, including that 64% of previously truant students were no longer truant by the end of the second year, contrasting sharply with the 86% truancy recurrence rate among students District-wide.
DHS has noted that 28% of students referred back to the program either chose to engage in shorter-term services or had parents who felt equipped to manage truancy independently, indicating progress in addressing barriers to school attendance. The expansion aims to further these successes by connecting more families to essential resources and support, ultimately fostering a more consistent educational experience for students in the District.
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