A Slew of Legislation on the Way to Tackle Truancy - Washington Informer
For months, Jessica Giles has demanded an interagency response to chronic absenteeism. In her role as executive director of Education Reform Now DC, she continues to make a case that chronic absenteeism and low postsecondary enrollment are closely connected.
Giles extolled the D.C. Council’s recent efforts to address chronic absenteeism, telling The Informer that legislation must aim at removing systemic barriers, addressing root cause and executing evidence-based practices. She however remained concerned about how to ensure seamless implementation of bills amid talks of a budget crunch.
“At the end of the day, there’s no silver bullet,” Giles said. “Truancy is a symptom of issues affecting students’ lives. Funding is going to be critical. That’s something I’m looking out for in the budget. Attendance is at the center of it all.”
