November 8, 2024

DPSCD Families,

 
As you know, consistent attendance is an essential part of students' success and we know that when District students miss less than 18 days of school in our District, they are 3 to 5 times more likely to be at and above grade level in reading and math and to be college ready as defined by the SAT. As a District, we continue to develop and implement ways to better support you to overcome these challenges so students can attend school regularly, a good example of this is our health hubs that provide no cost access to health, medical, dental, vision, and mental health services. 

Because student attendance is so crucial to their learning, the District is now including attendance requirements as part of our grade promotion guidelines. In grades K-8, students who miss 45 or more days over the course of the school year may not be promoted to the next grade level and will need to repeat that grade the following year. In High School, students who miss 23 or more days of a single course in a semester will not pass the course for that semester and will need to retake the course or enroll in a credit recovery course.

We want to ensure that all students meet attendance requirements, so your child’s school will send regular communications about students who are at risk of failing or retention because of attendance requirements.  We also understand that there can be extenuating circumstances, and principals will review each student's case to determine if individual situations require a different course of action.
 
Thank you very much for continuing to support your student's success by making sure your students get to school every day!

Nikolai P. Vitti. EdD
Superintendent
Detroit Public Schools Community District