MICHIGAN (WKZO AM/FM) — A Muskegon mom was recently sentenced to five days in jail for not getting her child to school often enough, but a new University of Michigan study suggests that punishing parents is not the answer; ending homelessness would be one solution.
Ann Arbor Researcher Jennifer Erb-Downward says Michigan has one of the highest rates of student chronic absenteeism in the country, and it’s due mainly to poverty and homelessness.
It becomes a logistical nightmare for families and kids that don’t have stable housing.
Several local school districts had high homeless student absentee rates with 60% in Kalamazoo, 62% in Comstock, 56% in Battle Creek Public Schools and 40% in Portage.
Detroit schools had the highest absentee rate with 86%.
Rates throughout the state can be found on the University of Michigan’s website.
The full study can be found here.
