Missing School, Falling Behind

School buses pick up students at the end of the day at Randolph Career and Technical Education in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.,

Missing School, Falling Behind Missing School, Falling Behind

How transportation problems fuel absenteeism in Detroit

Limited access to school buses and an unreliable transit system make it tougher for students to get to class.

By Koby Levin

A group of students with their backs to the camera board a yellow school bus.

Missing School, Falling Behind Missing School, Falling Behind

A guide to finding school transportation for your child in Detroit

The options vary based on where you live and which school the student attends.

By Koby Levin and Sarah Alvarez, Outlier Media

Missing School, Falling Behind Missing School, Falling Behind

Tell us: What attendance barriers does your family face in Detroit?

Families typically try their best to get kids to school, interviews with parents and researchers show. If you know why absenteeism remains high, we want to hear your story.

By Koby Levin

A line of children’s shadows and a fence on the ground outside of a school.

Missing School, Falling Behind Missing School, Falling Behind

Not ‘present,’ and paying a steep cost

Schools have gotten little help addressing a problem that is far bigger than them, experts say, one whose roots lie in society-wide failures of housing, employment, and public health.

By Koby Levin and Ethan Bakuli

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How Michigan’s struggles with chronic absenteeism undermine education.

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