We’re midway through September. It’s that time of year when students, parents and school staff are finally getting re-acclimated to the day-to-day of being back in school. It also happens to be Attendance Awareness Month.

As City Council returns from their August recess, it is critical that members refocus efforts to reign in chronic absenteeism. Missing just two days each month of the school year is all it takes for a student to be chronically absent. And though it might sound harmless, missing that much school can have serious consequences: undermining students’ literacy skills development, heightening their risk of dropping out, and even reducing their lifetime career earnings. Concerningly, over 40% of all D.C. students are considered chronically absent.

Bolstering attendance must be a top priority for our city. Four bills before Council contain measures that aim to do just that. Find out what these bills would do – and what in each the State Board recommends prioritizing – in Crosswalk: Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy.