The Detroit district school board voted Tuesday night to adopt a $1.1 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year, prioritizing attendance efforts, mentorship for students, and school security. The budget includes $13.9 million for efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism, which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of days in a school year.

Chronic Absenteeism in Detroit

Chronic absenteeism has long been an issue in Detroit. Despite the district outpacing the rest of the state in reducing chronic absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic, 60.9% of DPSCD students were chronically absent in 2024-25. The new budget aims to address this issue through attendance agents, financial incentives for middle and high school students who have perfect attendance, wraparound services, and yellow bus service pilots for students at four high schools.

The budget also raises pay for all employees, adds nine more school counselors, hires about 12 more assistant principals, and gives teachers funding for classroom supplies so that families don’t have to bear the cost. However, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti warned that after the next school year, the district will face financial uncertainty due to the end of the $94.4 million settlement and potential changes in state funding.

Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.