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The five people elected to the Detroit school board in the Nov. 3 election will help shape the district’s continued strategy to address high rates of chronic absenteeism.
It’s a tough task. The district has steadily reduced the share of students who are chronically absent, from a high of 76.7% in the 2021-22 school year to 60% at the end of the 2025-26 school year.
While the decline is notable, a large number of students still do not attend school regularly. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the school year, or 18 days in a 180-day school year.
The district’s efforts to improve attendance over several years have included an investment in attendance agents, the creation of health hubs, incentive programs that pay high school students for perfect attendance, and a pilot program that provides free yellow school bus transportation for some students attending high schools with high rates of chronic absenteeism.
Mayor Mary Sheffield has made reducing chronic absenteeism a priority since she took office in January. She has made city bus service free for all Detroit students, expanded after-school programs, and created a pilot program providing rideshare service to students at several high schools.
Chalkbeat asked the 34 candidates about their ideas for reducing chronic absenteeism. Thirty-one are running for four four-year terms, and three are running for one partial two-year term.
Below are responses from the 19 candidates who filled out our survey. For a full list of candidates and their responses to other key questions, check out our voter guide.
Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.
