Testimony: Public Hearing on Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy
Senior Policy Attorney Danielle Robinette testified at the Committee of the Whole’s public hearing on Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy. Our testimony argues that the District’s education sector must do more to ensure that students’ academic needs are met and that students struggling academically are uniquely supported to prevent disengagement and absenteeism. In particular, the District must address barriers to special education, which undermine efforts to improve attendance rates.
Our Impact on Children’s Education
Too often the District’s schools fail to provide students with physical, learning or emotional disabilities or children living in poverty with the right supports they need to succeed. We work with parents and schools to get a child’s education back on track – from ensuring testing for learning disabilities at a young age to making sure students with disabilities have an appropriate plan that meets their learning needs.