DC Council holds hearing to address city's growing absenteeism crisis in schools

WASHINGTON - The D.C. Council held a marathon hearing Tuesday to confront the city’s growing absenteeism crisis, with lawmakers and administration officials clashing over how best to respond to students who are chronically missing school.

The legislation:

While there was broad agreement that the problem is urgent, disagreement emerged over a bill introduced by Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) that would require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to investigate thousands of truancy cases currently going unaddressed.

"After all this time, one thing is clear: What we are doing as a city isn’t working," said Jodi Ovca, executive director of Access Youth, who testified during the hearing.

Currently, D.C. public schools are required to refer truant elementary and middle school students to the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), but CFSA has routinely "screened out" the majority of those referrals. According to Parker, of the 7,857 educational neglect reports submitted last year, 7,432 were dismissed without investigation.

"What we are dealing with is a broken system," Parker said during the hearing. "There are clear gaps and failures that are owned by the adults responsible for our city’s government."

The proposed legislation would shift responsibility for those screened-out cases to DHS, which already runs a $3.3 million pilot program aimed at supporting high school students with high truancy rates through counseling and other services.

Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) called the situation a crisis.

"We need to be clear—chronic absenteeism is a public safety and a public health emergency," she said.

Dig deeper:

Last school year, the truancy rate in D.C. public schools stood at 30.3%, while the chronic absenteeism rate reached 39.2%, according to city data. The Bowser administration, however, said the chronic absenteeism rate has dropped 42% since 2022, crediting the mayor’s "Uplift Plan," which focuses on interventions for at-risk students.

Still, the Mayor’s Office admits progress has been slower than hoped.

Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn acknowledged the scope of the challenge, saying, "of course parents have big responsibilities, as well as many government agencies. We have to work on this all together."

Mayor Muriel Bowser has not taken an official position on Parker’s bill. A spokesperson told FOX 5 that the administration is "looking at it."

Big picture view:

The hearing also highlighted broader concerns about the long-term impact of absenteeism on public safety, especially as D.C. faces renewed federal scrutiny. President Donald Trump, citing what he described as "roving mobs of wild youth," declared a public safety emergency earlier this year, deploying federal law enforcement and the National Guard to the streets of D.C.

While most students who skip school do not engage in criminal activity, research has shown a correlation between chronic absenteeism and youth involvement in the justice system.

"Consistent school attendance is not just an academic issue," said Salim Adofo, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 8. "It’s a matter of public safety, mental health, and economic justice."

No vote has been scheduled on Parker’s bill, but several councilmembers voiced support or interest in the proposal during the hearing. If passed, the bill would also direct the city to improve its referral systems and require outreach to families of at-risk students.

As the council continues to debate solutions, advocates and education officials agree on one thing: D.C. cannot afford to keep letting students fall through the cracks.